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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 · root · net · calf · mouse · march · nail · key

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. key — the most important part
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. march — the month
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. root — the cause
  16. key — for a lock
  17. root — of a word
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. net — after costs

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