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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. staff — employees
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lean — thin
  13. staff — employees
  14. root — of a plant
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cap — of ice
  18. scale — in music
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. root — the cause
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — size or range
  24. patient — a sick person

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