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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. root — the cause
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fall — to drop
  5. roll — a cake
  6. fall — the season
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pitch — completely
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. root — of a plant
  11. roll — a list
  12. rush — hurry
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stock — shares
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stock — goods
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. root — of a word
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chair — a leader

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