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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ball — a dance
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mug — a face
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ball — a great time
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mug — a cup
  17. field — farmland
  18. pound — a weight
  19. toast — bread
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. can — a tin
  24. mug — to rob

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