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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: track · spell · root · lie · saw · bank · content · fall

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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. spell — magic
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. fall — to drop
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. root — of a plant
  9. content — the amount
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a word
  13. track — a path
  14. fall — the season
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bank — of a river
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lie — to recline
  19. root — the cause
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. content — happy
  22. saw — the tool
  23. track — to keep track
  24. spell — letters

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