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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · track · pop · march · present · net · root · wave

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. present — a gift
  3. march — the month
  4. present — there
  5. march — music
  6. net — after costs
  7. track — a song
  8. net — for catching
  9. pop — music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. present — the time now
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. net — in sport
  16. march — the month
  17. track — a path
  18. pop — soda
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pop — to visit
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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