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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hand · perch · chair · track · rock · root · can · kick

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kick — in football
  3. track — to keep track
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chair — a leader
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. root — of a word
  9. track — a path
  10. can — a tin
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rock — music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. hand — help
  16. perch — the fish
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rock — a stone
  19. hand — in cards
  20. root — of a plant
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. track — a song

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