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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rest — a break
  6. court — of law
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. root — the cause
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. fork — in a road
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. court — of a king
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. court — for sport
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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