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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: rash · swing · nail · band · can · mate · root · rush

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rash — a series
  11. root — the cause
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. rash — hasty
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a word
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. swing — music

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