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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. capital — money
  11. shower — to wash
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. shower — rain
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. root — of a plant

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