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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. field — for sport
  4. root — of a word
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. band — a ring
  7. field — a subject
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. root — of a plant
  11. club — for golf
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rule — government
  14. bore — to drill
  15. club — a group
  16. field — farmland
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. root — the cause
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rule — a law
  24. foot — a measure

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