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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. spell — magic
  3. root — of a plant
  4. spell — a short time
  5. club — for golf
  6. root — of a word
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a path
  11. lean — thin
  12. club — a group
  13. bore — to drill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. club — for dancing
  16. spell — letters
  17. scale — in music
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. root — the cause
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bore — to tire

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