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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. track — to keep track
  3. shower — rain
  4. root — the cause
  5. perch — the fish
  6. board — a committee
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — clothes
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. board — to get on
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. track — a path
  14. rush — hurry
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. root — of a word
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. track — a song
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. shower — to wash
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — to fit
  24. root — of a plant

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