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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 120 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 · deal · degree · foot · bay · root · suit · shower

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. root — of a word
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. foot — a measure
  6. suit — to fit
  7. root — the cause
  8. suit — in cards
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. shower — rain
  12. suit — clothes
  13. track — to keep track
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. root — of a plant
  19. deal — to handle
  20. shower — to wash
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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