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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: plane · stock · tear · bay · roll · present · root · bound

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bound — tied together
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. present — the time now
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — obliged
  7. root — the cause
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stock — goods
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. bound — certain
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. roll — a list
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. tear — to rip
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. tear — from crying
  23. root — of a plant
  24. plane — a tool

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