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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cap — a hat
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bat — the animal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. root — of a word
  24. track — a path

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