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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: rule · cap · rest · rush · chair · stand · net · root

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rule — government
  3. rest — what's left
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chair — a leader
  6. root — of a word
  7. rule — a law
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. net — after costs
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rest — a break
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — to bear
  17. root — the cause
  18. rush — hurry
  19. net — in sport
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. cap — a lid
  22. net — for catching
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. cap — a hat

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