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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. suit — in cards
  6. track — a path
  7. root — of a plant
  8. squash — the sport
  9. degree — from a university
  10. squash — to crush
  11. prune — to trim
  12. can — to be able to
  13. charge — electricity
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. track — a song
  19. degree — an amount
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. can — a tin
  24. degree — temperature

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