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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. field — farmland
  3. track — a song
  4. rest — what's left
  5. track — a path
  6. roll — a list
  7. field — a subject
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. root — of a word
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rest — a break
  13. cue — a hint
  14. field — for sport
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rest — what's left
  24. root — of a plant

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