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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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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: trunk · arm · pop · root · field · dip · track · board

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. dip — to sink
  7. field — for sport
  8. track — a path
  9. field — a subject
  10. root — of a word
  11. track — a song
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. field — farmland
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. board — a committee
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. board — to get on
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. track — to keep track

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