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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — the cause
  3. band — a ring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mate — to breed
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. band — a music group
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mouse — for a computer

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