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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rash — hasty
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. cold — not warm
  11. content — the amount
  12. cold — an illness
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — for money
  16. root — the cause
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — of a word
  24. content — happy

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