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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: saw · root · track · bear · cue · wake · coach · fork

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cue — a hint
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. track — to keep track
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. root — the cause
  17. track — a song
  18. root — of a word
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. track — a path

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