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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — finally
  4. charge — in control
  5. prune — to trim
  6. root — of a word
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. root — the cause
  9. last — final
  10. wax — to grow
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. degree — from a university
  16. last — to go on
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. degree — an amount
  23. degree — temperature
  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