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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. can — a tin
  3. track — a song
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wax — to grow
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — low music
  11. net — in sport
  12. track — a path
  13. row — to paddle
  14. net — for catching
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. object — an aim
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. row — a line
  20. object — to protest
  21. bass — the fish
  22. root — of a plant
  23. net — after costs
  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