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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. swing — to play on
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. branch — a division
  10. lie — to recline
  11. root — of a word
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — the cause
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. swing — music
  18. root — of a plant
  19. swing — in golf
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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