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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · lie · bark · net · wake · ball · jam · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. root — the cause
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. net — in sport
  9. tube — a container
  10. lie — to recline
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bark — to shout
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. net — after costs
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. ball — a great time
  18. net — for catching
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. root — of a word
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lie — an untruth

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