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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: nail · track · wind · rock · bank · net · root · wake

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. track — a path
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. track — a song
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — of a word
  12. track — to keep track
  13. net — in sport
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wake — a trail
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rock — music
  24. bank — for money

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