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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · root · staff · rash · wind · rock · stick · mine

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rock — a stone
  3. staff — employees
  4. rash — hasty
  5. root — of a word
  6. staff — a stick
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. staff — employees
  10. spring — the season
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. spring — of water
  18. rock — music
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mine — for digging
  23. root — the cause
  24. wind — moving air

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