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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 120 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 · bound · scale · ground · root · swing · tube · rest

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bound — certain
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bound — tied together
  7. swing — to play on
  8. root — the cause
  9. rest — what's left
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ground — crushed
  13. scale — in music
  14. ground — a position
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. root — of a word
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. tube — the underground
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rush — hurry
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — music
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rest — a break

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