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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ball — a great time
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. row — a line
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. root — the cause
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. root — of a word
  24. ball — a dance

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