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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rash — a series
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bass — low music
  8. root — the cause
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. track — a song
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — the fish
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. root — of a word
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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