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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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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: mark · chair · squash · root · safe · wake · bay · row

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. root — of a word
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chair — a leader
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. root — the cause
  8. mark — a trace
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. root — of a plant
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — to paddle
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. row — a line
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mark — a grade
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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