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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · nail · chair · bay · rush · rule · season · prune

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. season — of the year
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. root — of a word
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. root — the cause
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rule — government
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rush — hurry
  23. chair — a leader
  24. season — in sport

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