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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. root — the cause
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pit — a hole
  9. root — of a plant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bank — for money
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bank — of a river
  23. root — of a word
  24. hide — animal skin

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