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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: land · rock · root · chair · last · lie · track · trunk

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. last — finally
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. chair — a leader
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. lie — to recline
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. last — final
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — to go on
  18. track — to keep track
  19. root — of a word
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — ground
  23. rock — music
  24. land — a country

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