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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. object — an aim
  5. root — of a plant
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — to get on
  9. track — to keep track
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. object — to protest
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a committee
  17. wound — an injury
  18. object — a thing
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — of a word
  21. wound — an injury
  22. root — the cause
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a document

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