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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.

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: hide · object · rock · kid · root · rush · date · can

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. can — a tin
  3. root — the cause
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. can — to be able to
  6. root — of a word
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. kid — child
  17. root — of a plant
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — an aim
  20. rock — music
  21. object — to protest
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. object — a thing

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