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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. roll — a list
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. net — after costs
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spell — magic
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. perch — the fish
  10. current — electric
  11. roll — a cake
  12. spell — a short time
  13. current — happening now
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — of a word
  16. net — for catching
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. spell — letters
  20. current — of water
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. net — in sport

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