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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — the cause
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. field — a subject
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rock — a stone
  16. prune — to trim
  17. field — for sport
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. rock — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. field — farmland
  23. root — of a word
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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