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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: lie · straw · spell · ruler · mouse · cap · root · wave

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spell — letters
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — of a word
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — a lid
  20. spell — magic
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — a short time
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. cap — a hat

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