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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: dip · straw · sharp · deal · root · nail · bat · ruler

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bat — the animal
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. dip — to sink
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. deal — to handle
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. root — of a word

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