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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: scale · lie · rest · root · bark · clip · track · stand

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. track — a song
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rest — a break
  5. track — a path
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rest — what's left
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. scale — in music
  14. bark — to shout
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. clip — a video

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