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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: root · arm · rush · mark · season · nail · bear · ground

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. season — of the year
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. root — of a word
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rush — hurry
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ground — a position
  19. season — in sport
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. ground — crushed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mark — to pay attention

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