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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — the underground
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. band — a music group
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. band — a ring
  12. cold — not warm
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. press — a publisher
  16. tube — a container
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cold — an illness
  24. lash — an eyelash

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