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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: root · mine · club · mark · stick · coach · track · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a path
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mine — for digging
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. club — for golf
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. root — of a word
  13. mark — a trace
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. club — a group
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. root — the cause
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. club — for dancing
  24. coach — a trainer

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