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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — of a word
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — goods
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. rule — a law
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rule — government
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. track — a path
  23. fork — in a road
  24. rule — to rule out

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