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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: kid · root · suit · sharp · rash · scale · lean · track

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. root — the cause
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. root — of a word
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. track — to keep track
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lean — thin
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. rash — a series
  11. track — a song
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. suit — to fit
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rash — hasty
  16. scale — in music
  17. kid — to tease
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. track — a path
  20. root — of a plant
  21. kid — child
  22. scale — size or range
  23. sharp — clever
  24. suit — in cards

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