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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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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: band · object · root · wake · present · can

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. present — there
  4. root — of a plant
  5. object — a thing
  6. root — the cause
  7. object — an aim
  8. can — a tin
  9. present — a gift
  10. root — of a word
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. band — a ring
  13. wake — a trail
  14. band — a music group
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. can — a tin
  17. object — to protest
  18. can — to be able to

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