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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cold — an illness
  3. root — the cause
  4. rush — hurry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. track — a song
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. track — a path
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cold — not warm
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. plane — an aircraft

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