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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · track · pound · club · roll · hand · nail · swing

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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 — the cause
  2. pound — a weight
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. swing — to play on
  7. club — for golf
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. track — a path
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. track — a song
  12. hand — help
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. roll — a cake
  18. swing — in golf
  19. hand — in cards
  20. roll — a list
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. swing — music
  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