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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
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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: saw · leaves · mouse · squash · capital · patient · ruler · root

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. capital — a city
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. root — the cause
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — the tool
  14. capital — money
  15. root — of a word
  16. squash — the sport
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. squash — to crush
  20. root — of a plant
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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