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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. root — of a word
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pop — to visit
  5. lean — to bend
  6. root — the cause
  7. foot — a measure
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — soda
  13. band — a ring
  14. lean — thin
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pop — music
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. band — a music group
  24. foot — part of the body

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