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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: root · snap · bore · rule · pop · mark · spell · ruler

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rule — government
  4. pop — to visit
  5. root — the cause
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. root — of a word
  10. pop — music
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pop — soda
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. snap — to click
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bore — to drill
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. spell — letters
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rule — a law
  24. bore — gave birth

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