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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. root — the cause
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. roll — a list
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. track — a song
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. object — to protest
  14. roll — a cake
  15. object — an aim
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. root — of a plant
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. root — of a word
  21. track — a path
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. object — a thing

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