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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: press · race · leaves · fan · hand · rush · ruler · root

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. root — the cause
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. root — of a word
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. hand — in cards
  8. race — humankind
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hand — help
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. press — a publisher
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. race — a contest
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. press — to push
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rush — hurry

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