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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: cell · bark · wave · root · rest · rock

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cell — a phone
  9. root — of a word
  10. rest — a break
  11. cell — in biology
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — what's left

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