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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. track — a path
  4. present — a gift
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. track — a song
  7. bulb — for light
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — the cause
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. present — the time now
  14. root — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. present — there
  19. root — of a word
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. temple — a place of worship

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