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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — music
  3. row — a line
  4. root — of a word
  5. swing — to play on
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. swing — in golf
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. root — the cause
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. rest — a break
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. row — to paddle
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ball — a great time
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rest — what's left
  21. drill — army training
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. ball — a dance

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