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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. file — a tool
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. root — of a plant
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. root — of a word
  12. rush — hurry
  13. squash — the sport
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rest — what's left
  19. squash — to crush
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. vault — a safe
  23. file — a document
  24. root — the cause

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