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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: root · ruler · track · present · pass · file · band · key

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. file — a line of people
  3. track — a song
  4. present — there
  5. band — a music group
  6. root — of a plant
  7. file — a document
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. root — of a word
  11. pass — a permit
  12. track — a path
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — in music
  19. root — the cause
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — a gift
  23. file — a tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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