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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. staff — a stick
  4. root — of a word
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fork — in a road
  11. tear — from crying
  12. staff — employees
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tear — to rip
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. root — of a plant
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mark — a trace
  24. file — a 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