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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: roll · mate · root · swing · spring · squash · track · stand

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. spring — of water
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mate — a friend
  6. squash — to crush
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. root — of a word
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mate — to breed
  11. spring — the season
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. root — the cause
  14. track — a path
  15. spring — a coil
  16. roll — a list
  17. swing — music
  18. root — of a plant
  19. track — a song
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mate — a partner
  22. squash — the sport
  23. roll — a cake
  24. stand — to bear

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