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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.

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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — goods
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. clip — to cut
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stock — shares
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pass — a permit
  22. clip — a video
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pass — to spend time

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