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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bass · spring · nail · rest · rush · mouse · chair

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. root — of a word
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rest — a break
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. root — the cause
  24. nail — for a hammer

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