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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. degree — from a university
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. root — of a word
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — an aim
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bank — for money
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bank — of a river
  17. root — the cause
  18. object — a thing
  19. snap — to click
  20. object — to protest
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. degree — temperature
  23. lean — thin
  24. bank — for money

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