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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: bound · prune · object · cabinet · root · kid · toast · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bound — certain
  3. object — a thing
  4. toast — bread
  5. prune — to trim
  6. root — of a word
  7. object — an aim
  8. root — the cause
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bound — obliged
  13. kid — child
  14. bound — tied together
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. prune — to trim
  23. kid — to tease
  24. object — to protest

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