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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. perch — the fish
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. root — the cause
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. current — electric
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a dance
  14. field — farmland
  15. current — of water
  16. field — a subject
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — happening now
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ball — a great time
  23. field — for sport
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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