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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 116 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: rest · pitcher · season · ruler · root · wound · mine · bay

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. season — in sport
  6. mine — for digging
  7. season — of the year
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rest — a break
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rest — what's left
  24. root — of a word

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