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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: ruler · cap · rush · row · plane · root · game · branch

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. root — the cause
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. root — of a plant
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cap — of ice
  13. row — to paddle
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cap — a hat
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. root — of a word
  20. branch — a division
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. row — a line
  24. ruler — a monarch

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