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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. deal — to handle
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. face — part of the head
  5. root — of a word
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — certain
  11. face — to confront
  12. sharp — clever
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. root — the cause
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — obliged
  24. ruler — for measuring

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