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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mark — a trace
  6. land — ground
  7. march — music
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. land — to come down
  11. bank — for money
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. rest — a break
  19. mark — a grade
  20. land — a country
  21. root — the cause
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — of a word
  24. wave — with your hand

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