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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: last · hide · rest · wake · root · firm · mark · stick

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. last — final
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. firm — decided
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wake — a trail
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. last — finally
  18. firm — a company
  19. last — to go on
  20. root — of a plant
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — steady
  23. root — of a word
  24. rest — a break

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