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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: fine · tear · root · chair · bound · perch · bay · pit

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. root — the cause
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. root — of a word
  17. tear — to rip
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bound — certain
  24. pit — in a race

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