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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. staff — employees
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. root — the cause
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pound — a weight

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