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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 120 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. track — a path
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. track — a song
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. squash — the sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rule — government
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ball — a great time
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rush — hurry
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. track — to keep track

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