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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.

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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: wake · mark · safe · rock · root · firm · track · lean

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. root — of a word
  4. track — to keep track
  5. firm — decided
  6. rock — music
  7. track — a path
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lean — thin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rock — a stone
  19. firm — steady
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. track — a song
  24. mark — a grade

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