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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
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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: pitch · bank · file · track · rule · spell · root · rock

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. file — a line of people
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. root — of a word
  10. file — a tool
  11. rule — a law
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a path
  14. rock — a stone
  15. root — the cause
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — letters
  20. track — a song
  21. spell — magic
  22. rock — music
  23. bank — of a river
  24. file — a document

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