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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: fork · pop · mug · arm · hide · root · mark · rush

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — a trace
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mug — a face
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. root — of a word
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. mug — a cup
  22. root — the cause
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fork — in a road

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