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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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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: wake · present · rock · fall · band · mark · root · bank

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. present — there
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — the time now
  12. root — of a word
  13. mark — a grade
  14. band — a music group
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fall — the season
  22. band — a ring
  23. rock — music
  24. present — a gift

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