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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · bear · root · field · tube · racket · pass · bound

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. pass — a permit
  6. root — the cause
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — obliged
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. field — a subject
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tube — the underground
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bear — the animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bound — certain
  24. bear — to put up with

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