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

Word bank: pit · row · straw · mate · root · rash · band · firm

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. firm — decided
  3. pit — a hole
  4. root — of a word
  5. rash — hasty
  6. row — a line
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. root — the cause
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. firm — steady
  11. mate — a partner
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. band — a ring
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mate — a friend
  21. firm — a company
  22. band — a music group
  23. rash — a series
  24. pit — in a race

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