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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. root — of a word
  2. cue — a signal
  3. lean — thin
  4. deal — to handle
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. sharp — clever
  8. root — the cause
  9. cue — for pool
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. root — of a plant
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cue — a hint
  23. saw — the tool
  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