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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pop — soda
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pop — to visit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chip — for betting
  8. root — the cause
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. root — of a word
  15. perch — the fish
  16. track — a song
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. chip — to eat
  19. track — a path
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pop — music
  24. pound — for dogs

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