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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: dip · bat · root · bark · scale · shower · rest · object

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bat — the animal
  3. scale — in music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. scale — size or range
  7. object — an aim
  8. root — of a word
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rest — a break
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. root — of a plant
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rest — what's left
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. shower — rain
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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