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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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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: present · rest · ruler · root · nail · wound · season · kick

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. season — of the year
  4. present — the time now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wound — an injury
  10. root — of a plant
  11. present — a gift
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. root — of a word
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. kick — in football
  20. rest — what's left
  21. present — there
  22. wound — an injury
  23. root — the cause
  24. kick — a thrill

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