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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. track — a song
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — a path
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — the cause
  15. bat — the animal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lean — to bend
  18. track — to keep track
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lean — thin
  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