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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — of a word
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. last — finally
  7. sharp — clever
  8. root — the cause
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. band — a music group
  12. staff — employees
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. staff — a stick
  18. last — to go on
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. last — final
  23. band — a ring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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