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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. fall — to drop
  5. track — a song
  6. fall — the season
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. root — the cause
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fall — to drop
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. root — of a word
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. suit — to fit
  21. squash — the sport
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wind — to turn a key

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