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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. root — the cause
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. bound — tied together
  8. field — a subject
  9. net — in sport
  10. bound — certain
  11. field — farmland
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. net — for catching
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. scale — size or range
  17. root — of a word
  18. field — for sport
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ground — the earth
  21. net — after costs
  22. bound — obliged
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bark — of a tree

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