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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.

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 · ruler · spell · plane · stock · squash · rush · saw

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. spell — letters
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stock — shares
  5. spell — a short time
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. spell — magic
  13. squash — to crush
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — a tool
  16. root — of a plant
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stock — goods
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. squash — the sport
  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