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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. rock — a stone
  4. current — of water
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. current — electric
  7. root — of a plant
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. file — a tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rock — music
  14. root — of a word
  15. file — a document
  16. root — the cause
  17. current — happening now
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rock — to move gently

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