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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. track — to keep track
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. root — the cause
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. wound — an injury
  12. prune — to trim
  13. board — to get on
  14. root — of a word
  15. present — a gift
  16. perch — the fish
  17. board — a committee
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. present — there
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wound — an injury

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