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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. root — of a word
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. track — a song
  6. chair — a leader
  7. root — of a plant
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. track — a path
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. root — the cause
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. band — a music group
  19. cue — for pool
  20. band — a ring
  21. track — to keep track
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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