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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.

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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: object · pop · wake · root · rest · row · content · fine

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. root — of a word
  3. content — the amount
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. object — a thing
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rest — a break
  11. pop — soda
  12. rest — what's left
  13. object — to protest
  14. wake — a trail
  15. content — happy
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fine — all right
  18. pop — music
  19. row — to paddle
  20. root — the cause
  21. fine — high quality
  22. row — a line
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. object — an aim

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