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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. root — the cause
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. root — of a word
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. fall — to drop
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. temple — a place of worship

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