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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · date · stick · pop · saw · spell · ruler · can

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. saw — the tool
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. spell — a short time
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pop — soda
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — to be able to
  18. root — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pop — music
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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