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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mark — a grade
  3. suit — clothes
  4. root — of a word
  5. file — a line of people
  6. band — a ring
  7. object — to protest
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. object — an aim
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. track — a path
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. root — the cause
  21. object — a thing
  22. mark — a trace
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — to pay attention

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