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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. root — of a word
  3. race — a contest
  4. pop — music
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. race — humankind
  8. tube — a container
  9. pop — soda
  10. craft — a skill
  11. root — of a plant
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. root — the cause
  16. perch — the fish
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — boats
  22. roll — a cake
  23. race — the arms race
  24. craft — a handicraft

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