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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 116 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 · track · land · pound · lash · bowl · suit · game

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. land — ground
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. track — a path
  11. root — the cause
  12. land — to come down
  13. pound — a weight
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. track — a song
  20. land — a country
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — of a word
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bowl — a dish

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