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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — a path
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. root — the cause
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bark — to shout
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. root — of a word

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