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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. spring — of water
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cell — a phone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. root — of a plant
  13. spring — the season
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. club — for golf
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. root — the cause
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cell — in biology
  24. lean — to rest against

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