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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. row — to paddle
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — wild animals
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — army training
  10. sharp — clever
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. root — the cause
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. object — to protest
  15. root — of a word
  16. object — an aim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. game — a match
  19. root — of a plant
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. row — a line
  23. object — a thing
  24. ruler — for measuring

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