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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · bound · pit · toast · face · root

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bound — certain
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. face — to confront
  7. root — of a word
  8. toast — bread
  9. root — the cause
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bound — tied together
  13. face — part of the head
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pit — in a race
  17. face — to point toward
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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