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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: dip · mark · rush · rest · shower · land · root · fine

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. root — of a word
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rest — what's left
  11. shower — rain
  12. rush — hurry
  13. land — a country
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. dip — to sink
  16. land — ground
  17. shower — to wash
  18. land — to come down
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rest — a break
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. fine — all right
  24. root — the cause

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