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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.

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: rock · fine · march · suit · root · mark · file · firm

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. march — music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. suit — in cards
  5. firm — decided
  6. fine — all right
  7. rock — a stone
  8. file — a document
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mark — a trace
  11. root — of a word
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. file — a tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. march — the month
  17. firm — a company
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — to fit
  20. file — a line of people
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. root — the cause
  23. rock — music
  24. fine — a penalty

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