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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. chip — to eat
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — to bend
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. root — of a word
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lean — thin
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rash — a series
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bound — tied together
  24. ruler — for measuring

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