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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lie — to recline
  4. root — the cause
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. root — of a plant
  11. scale — size or range
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. root — of a word
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. staff — a stick
  16. spring — of water
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. staff — employees
  20. bound — tied together
  21. spring — the season
  22. snap — to click
  23. scale — in music
  24. staff — employees

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