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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: nail · root · snap · rash · rest · bulb · cell · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — a break
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. root — the cause
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. root — of a word
  18. cell — in biology
  19. snap — to click
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cell — a phone

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