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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. track — a path
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. stock — goods
  5. bore — to drill
  6. root — the cause
  7. club — a group
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. track — a song
  10. march — the month
  11. root — of a word
  12. tube — the underground
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stock — shares
  15. shower — rain
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — for golf
  18. march — music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. march — the month
  21. tube — a container
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bore — to tire
  24. track — to keep track

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