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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: lean · rash · track · root · safe · can · cell · squash

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cell — a phone
  3. track — to keep track
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. can — a tin
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. root — of a word
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lean — thin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — the cause
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. track — a song
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lean — to bend
  19. can — a tin
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rash — a series
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. root — of a plant
  24. squash — the sport

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