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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: wave · squash · row · bay · track · branch · racket · root

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. root — of a plant
  3. track — a song
  4. root — the cause
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. track — a path
  7. root — of a word
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. row — a line
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. row — to paddle
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. squash — to crush
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. track — to keep track
  19. branch — a division
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. squash — the sport

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