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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: track · squash · can · foot · arm · saw · spell · root

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. track — a path
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. track — to keep track
  8. root — the cause
  9. can — a tin
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. can — to be able to
  14. spell — a short time
  15. foot — a measure
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. spell — magic
  18. track — a song
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — letters

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