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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: wake · root · nail · stand · bass · march · current · leaves

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wake — a trail
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. current — happening now
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. march — music
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. current — electric
  14. stand — to bear
  15. current — of water
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. march — the month
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. march — the month
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. nail — for a hammer

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