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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · rush · mouse · stick · season · land · swing · band

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. season — of the year
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. land — ground
  6. swing — music
  7. root — the cause
  8. band — a music group
  9. swing — to play on
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. band — a ring
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. land — to come down
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. root — of a word
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — hurry
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. land — a country

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