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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 124 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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bulb — for light
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. track — a path
  6. face — to confront
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. root — of a word
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to point toward
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. track — a song
  18. row — a line
  19. rash — a series
  20. rock — a stone
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rash — hasty

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