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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 116 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: pitcher · ruler · spring · root · firm · stick · nail · rush

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — decided
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spring — of water
  15. root — of a word
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. spring — the season
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. root — the cause
  24. spring — a coil

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