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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 120 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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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: row · track · root · temple · hand · can · bear · bulb

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. track — a song
  6. hand — help
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. hand — in cards
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. track — a path
  15. row — to paddle
  16. root — the cause
  17. bulb — for light
  18. can — to be able to
  19. root — of a plant
  20. row — a line
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. temple — a place of worship

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