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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 · safe · root · date · kick · rush · stick · degree

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. root — of a word
  5. rush — hurry
  6. degree — from a university
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. degree — temperature
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. date — the fruit
  12. root — the cause
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. root — of a plant
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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