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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bound · can · root · temple · degree · bay · lie · spell

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. root — of a word
  3. can — a tin
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spell — magic
  7. bound — certain
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bound — tied together
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. degree — an amount
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. root — the cause
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. root — of a plant
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. degree — temperature
  24. spell — a short time

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