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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: root · racket · craft · pop · roll · bat · lie · row

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. lie — to recline
  3. root — the cause
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. roll — a list
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. root — of a word
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bat — the animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. roll — a cake
  22. craft — boats
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pop — soda

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