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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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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: straw · track · mark · lean · staff · mate · root · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. root — the cause
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. track — a song
  7. staff — a stick
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bound — tied together
  11. mark — a trace
  12. root — of a word
  13. staff — employees
  14. track — a path
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. root — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bound — certain

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