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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mate — a partner
  9. band — a ring
  10. field — a subject
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. root — of a plant
  16. band — a music group
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — rain

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