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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. degree — an amount
  3. charge — in control
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. charge — a price
  7. chip — to eat
  8. root — of a plant
  9. charge — electricity
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — the cause
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. degree — from a university
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. root — of a word
  22. bulb — for light
  23. degree — temperature
  24. rush — hurry

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