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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: root · can · date · spell · nail · mine · track · arm

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. mine — for digging
  10. spell — a short time
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — magic
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. root — of a word
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. date — the fruit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spell — letters
  24. root — the cause

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