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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: shower · root · bat · bank · ruler · object · cabinet · chest

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. root — of a word
  5. bat — the animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. object — a thing
  9. bank — for money
  10. chest — of your body
  11. shower — to wash
  12. chest — a box
  13. object — an aim
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. object — to protest
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. shower — rain
  24. bank — of a river

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