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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rash — a series
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. root — the cause
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. root — of a word
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rush — hurry
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a face
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wake — before a funeral

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