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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. fall — the season
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pop — music
  12. root — of a word
  13. can — a tin
  14. roll — a list
  15. root — the cause
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pop — to visit
  18. roll — a cake
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pop — soda
  23. root — of a plant
  24. can — to be able to

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