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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: ruler · root · jam · row · hide · trunk · date · firm

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — of a word
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. root — of a plant
  11. firm — a company
  12. row — to paddle
  13. date — the fruit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. row — a line
  24. root — the cause

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