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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. band — a music group
  3. root — of a word
  4. rush — hurry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — a thing
  7. lie — to recline
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — of a plant
  17. track — a song
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. root — the cause
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — a path
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a ring
  24. mark — a trace

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