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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: snap · root · bound · track · spell · bear · ruler · ground

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. track — a path
  5. bound — certain
  6. spell — magic
  7. ground — crushed
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ground — the earth
  10. snap — to click
  11. root — of a word
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spell — letters
  17. root — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ground — a position
  23. track — to keep track
  24. root — the cause

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