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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. root — of a word
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pass — a permit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. suit — to fit
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fine — high quality
  13. track — a song
  14. fine — all right
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. root — the cause
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. track — a path
  22. scale — in music
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — clothes

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