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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · tube · rock · object · lean · pass · track · arm

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. root — of a word
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. object — a thing
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. track — a song
  11. object — to protest
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. track — a path
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rock — a stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. tube — a container
  19. object — an aim
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lean — thin
  22. rock — music
  23. track — to keep track
  24. arm — part of the body

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