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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. club — a group
  3. root — the cause
  4. club — for golf
  5. bound — tied together
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bound — certain
  8. swing — in golf
  9. object — an aim
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bass — low music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. tube — a container
  15. root — of a plant
  16. swing — music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. root — of a word
  19. bass — the fish
  20. swing — to play on
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. club — for dancing

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