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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: bay · board · wave · prune · spell · stand · track · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. board — a committee
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spell — magic
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — to keep track
  16. root — of a plant
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — the cause
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stand — to bear
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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