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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: track · mate · root · row · ball · bear · trunk · chair

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mate — a partner
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. ball — a dance
  15. root — the cause
  16. mate — to breed
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bear — the animal
  19. chair — a leader
  20. mate — a friend
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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