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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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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: bore · lean · root · bound · craft · swing · current · trunk

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bound — obliged
  3. craft — boats
  4. bore — to tire
  5. root — of a plant
  6. swing — in golf
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lean — thin
  11. bound — tied together
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. root — the cause
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lean — to bend
  19. current — of water
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bound — certain
  22. swing — music
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bore — gave birth

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