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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mine — for digging
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fine — high quality
  14. root — the cause
  15. track — a path
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. track — a song
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fine — all right

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