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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. root — the cause
  7. rule — a law
  8. bat — the animal
  9. roll — a list
  10. mark — a trace
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rule — government
  17. roll — a cake
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lean — thin
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. root — of a word
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mark — a grade

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