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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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468
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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — letters
  5. root — of a plant
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mark — a trace
  8. row — a line
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — a grade
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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