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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. drill — a practice
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stock — goods
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. root — of a word
  13. saw — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. spell — magic
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. spell — letters
  23. stock — shares
  24. root — of a plant

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