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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. row — a line
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. root — of a word
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bark — to shout
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — to paddle
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. root — of a plant
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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