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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — of a word
  4. row — a line
  5. root — of a plant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. scale — in music
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. row — to paddle
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. root — the cause

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