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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: pop · season · rush · snap · ruler · root · bat · arm

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pop — music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. rush — hurry
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pop — soda
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. root — of a word
  23. snap — to click
  24. season — of the year

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