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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rush — hurry
  8. root — of a word
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. last — final
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. suit — in cards
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. last — finally
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rock — music
  24. last — to go on

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