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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: pit · hide · rash · bay · spring · race · chair · root

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. spring — the season
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. root — of a word
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. race — humankind
  11. spring — of water
  12. pit — a hole
  13. race — the arms race
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. race — a contest
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bay — a horse colour

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