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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 116 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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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: wave · capital · last · row · root · stand · nail · track

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stand — to bear
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. last — finally
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. track — to keep track
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. capital — money
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — of a word
  15. row — a line
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — a path
  19. root — the cause
  20. last — to go on
  21. capital — a city
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. track — a song

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