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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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468
Word bank
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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. march — the month
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. march — the month
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. root — the cause
  17. march — music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chip — to eat
  20. root — of a word
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. staff — employees
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. trunk — of a tree

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