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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · track · mate · march · root · cold · suit · sharp

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cold — an illness
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. march — the month
  9. cold — not warm
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mate — a friend
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. track — a path
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. track — a song
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mate — a partner
  18. sharp — clever
  19. track — to keep track
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — the cause
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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