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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. root — of a plant
  5. perch — the fish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. race — the arms race
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chair — a leader
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. race — humankind
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. race — a contest
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. root — the cause
  24. chair — to sit on

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