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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: face · toast · bound · root · lean · bear · bore · land

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bound — tied together
  4. lean — thin
  5. bore — to drill
  6. face — part of the head
  7. land — a country
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. root — of a plant
  16. face — to point toward
  17. land — ground
  18. root — the cause
  19. land — to come down
  20. face — to confront
  21. toast — bread
  22. root — of a word
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bound — certain

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