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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — certain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bore — to tire
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. land — ground
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. land — a country
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. land — to come down
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — obliged
  24. root — the cause

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