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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: pit · spring · mark · root · clip · suit · bound · bark

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bark — to shout
  6. root — of a plant
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. clip — for paper
  10. root — the cause
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mark — a trace
  14. clip — a video
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. pit — a hole
  19. spring — of water
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. clip — to cut

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