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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. root — of a plant
  3. game — wild animals
  4. root — the cause
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bound — tied together
  8. present — the time now
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. root — of a word
  11. track — a song
  12. bound — obliged
  13. present — there
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. track — a path
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — certain
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. bark — to shout
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — a gift

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