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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. object — to protest
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cell — in biology
  6. game — a match
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bound — certain
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cap — a lid
  16. object — a thing
  17. game — wild animals
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cap — a hat
  21. object — an aim
  22. root — the cause
  23. suit — in cards
  24. game — a kind of play

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