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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: rock · roll · ruler · lash · root · rule · sharp · prune

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. roll — a cake
  7. root — the cause
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — a law
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rock — music
  23. rule — government
  24. rock — a stone

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