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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 120 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
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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: pop · foot · present · rock · shower · root · saw · bay

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. shower — rain
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. saw — the tool
  17. present — the time now
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. pop — music
  21. present — there
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. foot — a measure

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