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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 116 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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stem — to come from
  6. root — of a word
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. craft — boats
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. craft — a skill
  18. scale — in music
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. root — the cause
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bound — tied together

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