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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 124 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — for money
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. root — the cause
  5. pop — to visit
  6. root — of a plant
  7. content — the amount
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — of a river
  11. tear — from crying
  12. root — of a word
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pop — soda
  15. tear — from crying
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. content — happy
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bank — for money
  24. scale — in music

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