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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: rash · root · vault · sharp · rule · content · swing · pitch

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pitch — completely
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rash — a series
  6. root — the cause
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rule — government
  12. content — happy
  13. swing — in golf
  14. content — the amount
  15. sharp — clever
  16. swing — to play on
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. root — of a plant
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. swing — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rule — a law
  24. rash — on the skin

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