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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 124 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. board — a committee
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bat — the animal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. board — to get on
  9. root — of a word
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bound — tied together
  16. root — the cause
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bound — certain
  19. root — of a plant
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rash — a series
  24. bat — for baseball

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