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

Word bank: ruler · saw · fork · pop · rest · stand · root · degree

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rest — a break
  6. root — of a plant
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — the cause
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. degree — from a university
  18. stand — to bear
  19. root — of a word
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rest — what's left

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