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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: root · bore · season · cell · stick · saw · wake · track

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. season — in sport
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. wake — a trail
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. root — of a word
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. root — the cause
  18. track — a song
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bore — to drill
  23. season — of the year
  24. saw — the tool

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