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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: field · row · roll · perch · wound · root · suit · rock

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rock — music
  3. perch — the fish
  4. field — farmland
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — a cake
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. row — a line
  10. field — a subject
  11. wound — an injury
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. row — to paddle
  14. root — of a word
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. field — for sport
  17. root — of a plant
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. suit — in cards
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — a stone
  24. suit — clothes

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