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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: track · root · bank · shower · present · perch · season · wake

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. root — of a word
  5. present — the time now
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. present — there
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. season — in sport
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. season — of the year
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — the fish
  20. root — of a plant
  21. track — a song
  22. present — a gift
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. track — a path

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