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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: root · rest · mouse · rush · present · lie · swing · nail

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. present — there
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rest — what's left
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — the time now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. present — a gift
  13. swing — music
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. root — of a word
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rush — hurry
  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