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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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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: pass · degree · pit · bay · rush · bear · bound · root

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. degree — from a university
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. root — of a word
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rush — hurry
  13. degree — an amount
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bound — certain
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — the cause
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. degree — temperature
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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