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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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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 · band · rest · track · chip · pound · jam · foot

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. band — a ring
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rest — a break
  7. track — a song
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. root — of a plant
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rest — what's left
  14. root — of a word
  15. track — to keep track
  16. band — a music group
  17. track — a path
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rest — what's left
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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