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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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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: squash · row · stick · root · bark · mouse · race · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bass — low music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. root — the cause
  14. race — humankind
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bark — to shout
  20. race — a contest
  21. squash — the sport
  22. race — the arms race
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. row — a line

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