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

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. swing — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. track — to keep track
  5. land — ground
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — for money
  9. land — to come down
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — a song
  12. bank — of a river
  13. swing — in golf
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. land — a country
  18. track — a path
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. swing — to play on
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. coach — a trainer

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