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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spring — a coil
  4. root — of a word
  5. race — a contest
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. root — the cause
  9. spring — the season
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. degree — temperature
  17. sharp — clever
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. spring — of water
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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