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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: court · chair · wake · rock · rule · root · mark · craft

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mark — a trace
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — music
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. court — for sport
  13. rule — a law
  14. root — of a word
  15. rule — government
  16. court — of law
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rock — a stone
  21. court — of a king
  22. craft — boats
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. root — the cause

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