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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pop — music
  5. cap — of ice
  6. drill — army training
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cap — a hat
  9. root — of a word
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. object — an aim
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. drill — the tool
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. root — the cause
  17. object — to protest
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pop — soda
  21. drill — a practice
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. object — a thing
  24. game — wild animals

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