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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 116 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: wave · ruler · club · hand · wake · content · root · pitcher

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. club — for dancing
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. root — the cause
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. hand — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. content — happy
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. root — of a plant
  14. hand — help
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. club — a group
  19. content — the amount
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. club — for golf
  24. content — videos and posts

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