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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wound — an injury
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rock — a stone
  8. root — of a word
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bound — certain
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. root — the cause
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rash — a series
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com