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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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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: stick · bank · root · deal · rash · saw · rule · mark

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. root — the cause
  4. rule — a law
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rash — hasty
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. root — of a word
  14. bank — for money
  15. root — of a plant
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rash — a series
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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