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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: season · craft · lie · bound · foot · cold · root · lean

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. craft — a skill
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. root — the cause
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cold — not warm
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. lie — to recline
  16. season — of the year
  17. craft — boats
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. root — of a word
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bound — certain
  23. cold — an illness
  24. season — in sport

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