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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: lie · bat · root · track · hide · racket · bear · foot

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lie — to recline
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. root — of a word
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bear — the animal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bat — the animal
  21. track — a path
  22. root — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. bear — to put up with

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