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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.

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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. track — a path
  4. root — the cause
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mark — a grade
  9. track — a song
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bank — for money
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bank — for money
  16. mate — a partner
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. root — of a word
  22. mark — a trace
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mark — to pay attention

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