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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lean — to bend
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. spring — the season
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. present — the time now
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spring — of water
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — of a plant
  15. row — to paddle
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. spring — a coil
  18. root — the cause
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. present — there
  21. race — a contest
  22. root — of a word
  23. lean — thin
  24. present — a gift

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