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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. staff — employees
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bound — tied together
  5. staff — a stick
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bound — certain
  9. staff — employees
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — obliged
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cap — a lid
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cap — of ice
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cap — a hat
  24. sharp — with an edge

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