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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hand — help
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rule — government
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rule — a law
  19. hand — in cards
  20. root — the cause
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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