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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 · row · charge · kid · mate · root · race · pop

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. charge — in control
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mate — a partner
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. row — a line
  12. root — of a word
  13. race — a contest
  14. kid — child
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. charge — a price
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mate — a friend
  23. charge — electricity
  24. row — a quarrel

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