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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · root · ruler · bowl · bear · chest

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bear — the animal
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. chest — a box
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. root — the cause
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. root — of a plant
  11. chest — of your body
  12. toast — bread
  13. chest — of your body
  14. root — of a word
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bear — the animal

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