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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 · foot · sharp · squash · fork · roll · game · object

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. roll — a cake
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. object — an aim
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. root — of a plant
  13. object — to protest
  14. roll — a list
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. sharp — clever
  20. squash — the sport
  21. foot — a measure
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. object — a thing

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