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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. land — ground
  4. land — to come down
  5. root — of a plant
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. branch — a division
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. root — of a word
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. root — the cause
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. land — a country

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