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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cap — of ice
  4. root — of a word
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. roll — a list
  7. cap — a hat
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. root — of a plant
  10. firm — a company
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. cap — a lid
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. field — for sport
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. root — the cause
  18. content — happy
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. roll — a cake
  24. content — the amount

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