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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wake — a trail
  8. snap — to click
  9. tube — the underground
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. tube — a container
  13. root — the cause
  14. board — a committee
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. board — to get on
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. foot — a measure
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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