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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: dip · drill · date · mark · swing · root · suit · ruler

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. root — of a plant
  3. swing — to play on
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. suit — clothes
  7. dip — to sink
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. drill — a practice
  10. swing — music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. root — of a word
  14. suit — to fit
  15. drill — army training
  16. root — the cause
  17. mark — a grade
  18. drill — the tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mark — a trace
  23. date — the fruit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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