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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: chair · key · game · firm · dip · root · ruler · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. root — of a plant
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. key — in music
  12. chair — a leader
  13. dip — to sink
  14. root — of a word
  15. firm — decided
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. key — for a lock
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. firm — steady
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. key — the most important part
  23. game — wild animals
  24. root — the cause

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