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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. root — the cause
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — shares
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rest — what's left
  8. snap — to click
  9. band — a ring
  10. rest — a break
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. root — of a word
  13. mine — for digging
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. band — a music group
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stock — goods
  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