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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. present — there
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. root — of a word
  11. rock — a stone
  12. present — a gift
  13. lean — thin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — hurry
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. race — a contest
  19. root — of a plant
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. present — the time now
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — to bend

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