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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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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: bowl · rash · fork · present · pound · hide · firm · root

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. root — the cause
  3. pound — a weight
  4. firm — a company
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rash — a series
  9. firm — steady
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rash — hasty
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. firm — decided
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. present — there
  24. root — of a word

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