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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: temple · patient · ball · bark · track · bear · can · root

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bark — to shout
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. track — a path
  13. can — a tin
  14. root — of a word
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. can — a tin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. patient — a sick person

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