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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 116 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: cell · bark · wave · root · rest · rock · pound · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cell — a phone
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. root — the cause
  8. rock — music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rest — a break
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bark — to shout
  15. root — of a word
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. cell — in biology
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rock — a stone

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