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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: object · bear · jam · root · ruler · foot · fan · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. root — of a word
  9. object — to protest
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bear — the animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. object — a thing
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. fall — to drop
  24. object — an aim

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