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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. patient — a sick person
  3. root — of a plant
  4. court — of law
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. wind — moving air
  7. land — a country
  8. tube — a container
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bank — for money
  13. court — for sport
  14. land — ground
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. land — to come down
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. court — of a king
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. root — the cause
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bank — for money
  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