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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — soda
  4. object — an aim
  5. charge — a price
  6. root — of a word
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — in control
  11. pop — music
  12. object — a thing
  13. roll — a cake
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. object — to protest
  19. pop — to visit
  20. charge — electricity
  21. root — the cause
  22. roll — a list
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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