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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pop — soda
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. shower — rain
  6. land — a country
  7. root — of a word
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. file — a line of people
  11. shower — to wash
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. file — a document
  14. root — of a plant
  15. land — to come down
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pop — music
  18. file — a tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pop — to visit
  22. land — ground
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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