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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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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: sharp · rush · pitcher · root · rock · bay · lie · mug

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lie — to recline
  3. root — the cause
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — music
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. root — of a word
  11. sharp — clever
  12. root — of a plant
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mug — a face
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rush — a thrill

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