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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: saw · track · wave · march · root · perch · bowl · nail

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. root — the cause
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. saw — the tool
  8. root — of a word
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. march — the month
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. root — of a plant
  13. track — a path
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. march — music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. track — to keep track
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. march — the month
  23. perch — the fish
  24. nail — for a hammer

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