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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. file — a document
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — army training
  9. file — a line of people
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. drill — a practice
  12. chest — a box
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. drill — the tool
  16. file — a tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. chest — of your body
  20. root — of a plant
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. can — a tin

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