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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: bound · foot · date · root · straw · race · lie · bowl

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. root — of a word
  5. race — a contest
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bound — tied together
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lie — to recline
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. root — the cause
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. foot — a measure
  19. race — humankind
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. race — the arms race
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bowl — to roll

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