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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 120 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: rock · track · row · land · root · rush · lean · drill

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. land — to come down
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. land — a country
  5. drill — the tool
  6. row — to paddle
  7. track — to keep track
  8. lean — thin
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. track — a path
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rock — a stone
  14. root — the cause
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. land — ground
  17. row — a line
  18. drill — army training
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lean — to bend
  22. root — of a word
  23. track — a song
  24. rock — music

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