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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. root — of a word
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fine — high quality
  6. wake — a trail
  7. root — the cause
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fine — all right
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. track — a path
  14. bank — for money
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a song
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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