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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. spell — magic
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. cap — a lid
  9. root — of a plant
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. root — the cause
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. root — of a word
  17. cap — a hat
  18. capital — a city
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. capital — money
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. cap — of ice

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