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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 116 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pitch — completely
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. root — the cause
  6. degree — temperature
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fork — in a road
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. root — of a word
  12. degree — from a university
  13. track — to keep track
  14. degree — an amount
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. track — a path
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fork — a garden tool

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