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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.

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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: track · content · wound · hide · craft · root · rule · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. track — a song
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — the cause
  5. rule — government
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. track — to keep track
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. root — of a plant
  11. craft — a skill
  12. root — of a word
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — a path
  15. rule — a law
  16. craft — boats
  17. bank — for money
  18. content — the amount
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bank — of a river
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. content — happy
  24. wound — an injury

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