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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bound — certain
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. club — for golf
  12. root — the cause
  13. suit — to fit
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. club — for dancing
  17. chest — a box
  18. bound — tied together
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rest — a break
  22. rock — music
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. root — of a word

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