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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 120 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: bound · chair · root · wake · fine · bore · pass · stock

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. root — the cause
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bound — certain
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pass — a permit
  17. root — of a word
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bound — obliged
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fine — all right
  23. bore — to drill
  24. pass — to spend time

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