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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.

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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: march · ruler · deal · root · rush · bay · lash · leaves

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. march — music
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. march — the month
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. root — the cause
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. root — of a plant
  21. march — the month
  22. root — of a word
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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