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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 · wave · mug · rash · staff · tear · cap · rule

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rule — a law
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rule — government
  10. mug — a face
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — a series
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. root — of a word
  18. mug — to rob
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. tear — from crying
  22. root — the cause
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wave — of the sea

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