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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. root — of a plant
  3. march — the month
  4. hand — in cards
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. root — the cause
  7. band — a music group
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. march — music
  11. roll — a cake
  12. key — the most important part
  13. band — a ring
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. root — of a word
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. key — for a lock
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. key — in music
  20. march — the month
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. roll — a list
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. hand — help

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