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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — soda
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. row — to paddle
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. current — of water
  17. prune — to trim
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pop — to visit
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pop — music
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. root — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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