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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rush — hurry
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. current — electric
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. root — the cause
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. current — happening now
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bat — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — of water
  24. root — of a plant

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