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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. net — after costs
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. net — for catching
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. net — in sport
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a plant
  23. sharp — clever
  24. root — of a word

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