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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spring — a coil
  10. charge — electricity
  11. hand — in cards
  12. spring — the season
  13. squash — the sport
  14. charge — in control
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hand — help
  17. root — the cause
  18. charge — a price
  19. race — a contest
  20. spring — of water
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. root — of a word

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