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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · root · net · stem · nail · rule · squash · row

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. root — of a plant
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. net — for catching
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. root — of a word
  11. stem — to come from
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rule — a law
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. row — a line
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. rule — government
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rule — to rule out

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