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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. last — final
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. last — finally
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. root — of a word
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pound — a weight
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lean — thin
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. last — to go on
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. root — the cause

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