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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 · lean · sharp · root · lie · rest · bank · mark

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lean — thin
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. bank — for money
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rest — a break
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bound — certain
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. root — the cause

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