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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 · mate · racket · temple · present · ruler · squash · content

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. present — there
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — the amount
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. squash — the sport
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. present — the time now
  10. root — of a plant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. present — a gift
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mate — to breed
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. root — of a word
  24. racket — for tennis

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