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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: root · mug · ball · rest · mine · hide · bay · nail

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. root — of a word
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mug — to rob
  11. root — the cause
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. rest — a break
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mug — a face
  24. nail — on a finger

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