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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: rush · wound · rash · ruler · straw · root · bay · mine

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rash — a series
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mine — for digging
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. root — of a word
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. root — the cause
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rush — hurry
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rash — on the skin

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