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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: club · foot · ruler · rash · can · racket · fall · root

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. club — a group
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — to be able to
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rash — hasty
  11. club — for golf
  12. fall — the season
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rash — a series
  17. can — a tin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — a tin
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. club — for dancing
  24. root — of a plant

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