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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. band — a music group
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rock — a stone
  7. root — the cause
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. root — of a plant
  11. scale — in music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — of a word
  18. band — a ring
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bark — to shout
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. band — a rubber band

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