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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.

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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. root — the cause
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. game — wild animals
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. game — a match
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — a stone
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. rock — music

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