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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: object · cue · bound · root · straw · lie · temple · file

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. object — to protest
  3. bound — tied together
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. file — a document
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cue — for pool
  8. root — the cause
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. file — a line of people
  13. root — of a word
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cue — a hint
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cue — a signal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a tool
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. straw — dry grass

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