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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cap — a hat
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bound — certain
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. root — the cause
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. ruler — a monarch

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