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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: ball · key · dip · track · fan · ground · root · mouse

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. root — the cause
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — to sink
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. root — of a plant
  10. key — in music
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ground — a position
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ground — the earth
  19. root — of a word
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. track — a song
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ball — a great time

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