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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. root — of a word
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. root — the cause
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. track — a path
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — of a plant
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. net — after costs
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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