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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 116 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: bay · ruler · game · content · plane · root

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. root — of a word
  4. content — happy
  5. root — of a plant
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. content — the amount
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. game — a match
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. root — the cause
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ruler — for measuring

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