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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: leaves · can · degree · staff · bound · bank · root · cue

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. staff — employees
  3. bank — for money
  4. cue — for pool
  5. degree — an amount
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. bound — tied together
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. degree — from a university
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bank — for money
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. degree — temperature
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. can — a tin
  20. bound — certain
  21. staff — employees
  22. bank — of a river
  23. root — of a plant
  24. staff — a stick

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