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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wind — moving air
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. last — to go on
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. last — finally
  9. root — the cause
  10. rock — music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. last — final
  14. root — of a word
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. row — a line
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. racket — for tennis

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