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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 120 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: ground · straw · wave · game · ruler · content · bore · root

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bore — to tire
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ground — a position
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. root — the cause
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bore — to drill
  19. content — the amount
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. game — a match
  22. root — of a word
  23. ground — crushed
  24. content — happy

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