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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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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: stock · foot · ruler · field · lash · temple · saw · root

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stock — shares
  4. field — farmland
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. field — for sport
  8. root — the cause
  9. field — a subject
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stock — goods
  14. foot — a measure
  15. root — of a plant
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. root — of a word
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. saw — the tool

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