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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. fork — in a road
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. season — of the year
  10. bank — of a river
  11. season — in sport
  12. track — a path
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bank — for money
  18. rule — a law
  19. root — the cause
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. track — a song
  22. root — of a word
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitcher — a jug

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