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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — of a plant
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. game — a match
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bank — for money
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — completely
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bank — of a river
  21. root — of a word
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. root — the cause
  24. ruler — for measuring

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