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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 116 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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. track — a path
  3. field — for sport
  4. root — the cause
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pound — a weight
  11. tube — a container
  12. track — a song
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cap — of ice
  16. field — farmland
  17. last — finally
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. last — final
  21. field — a subject
  22. root — of a word
  23. cap — a lid
  24. last — to go on

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