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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: squash · wake · root · firm · sharp · track · saw · can

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. firm — decided
  3. saw — the tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. root — of a plant
  7. squash — to crush
  8. firm — a company
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. saw — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a song
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. track — to keep track
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wake — a trail
  18. firm — steady
  19. root — the cause
  20. track — a path
  21. can — to be able to
  22. sharp — clever
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. sharp — exactly

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