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

Word bank: swing · bound · tube · bay · snap · root · object · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. object — an aim
  3. tube — a container
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bound — obliged
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. object — a thing
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. root — the cause
  19. bound — tied together
  20. root — of a word
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bound — certain
  23. object — to protest
  24. chair — a leader

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