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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. root — the cause
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. present — there
  9. object — to protest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wake — a trail
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. object — a thing
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — of a word
  24. nail — on a finger

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