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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: bark · fine · cell · charge · bound · root · wound · bore

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fine — high quality
  3. root — the cause
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. charge — in control
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bore — to drill
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fine — all right
  18. bound — certain
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bound — tied together
  23. charge — a price
  24. wound — an injury

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