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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: track · stick · fine · game · bass · pitcher · root · band

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. game — a match
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. root — of a word
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bass — low music
  13. band — a ring
  14. root — the cause
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — all right
  18. track — a song
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. track — a path
  23. bass — the fish
  24. band — a music group

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