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

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. root — of a word
  3. race — humankind
  4. root — of a plant
  5. squash — the sport
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. squash — to crush
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. tube — a container
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — the cause
  20. bank — of a river
  21. race — a contest
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — a safe
  24. tube — the underground

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