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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: bear · plane · pitcher · root · swing · ruler · squash · roll

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. root — of a word
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bear — the animal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bear — the animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. roll — a cake
  15. swing — music
  16. plane — a tool
  17. roll — a list
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. squash — to crush
  24. 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