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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. root — the cause
  5. fine — all right
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bass — low music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. root — of a word
  10. lean — thin
  11. pitch — completely
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bass — the fish
  21. track — a path
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fine — high quality

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