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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: arm · root · cap · row · ground · rush · pitcher · nail

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cap — of ice
  7. row — a line
  8. rush — hurry
  9. root — of a word
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. root — the cause
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. ground — the earth
  24. cap — a lid

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