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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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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: hand · jam · stick · hide · root · bulb · track · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. track — a path
  3. root — of a word
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. deal — to handle
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — the cause
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — a song
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. track — to keep track
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. hand — help
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. root — of a plant

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