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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ground — a position
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ground — the earth
  15. root — of a word
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. rush — hurry
  21. root — the cause
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. ground — crushed

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