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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hide · net · rule · hand · wave · mine · bore · root

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. net — for catching
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. net — after costs
  10. root — of a word
  11. hand — help
  12. rule — government
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. net — in sport
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. root — the cause
  23. hand — in cards
  24. mine — belonging to me

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