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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 · root · mug · rule · rock · present · cold · toast

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bound — obliged
  5. present — there
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mug — a face
  10. cold — not warm
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rock — a stone
  13. root — of a word
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. present — a gift
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — government
  19. root — the cause
  20. present — the time now
  21. toast — bread
  22. rock — music
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rule — a law

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