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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — the season
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. club — a group
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. club — for golf
  18. band — a ring
  19. root — of a word
  20. bass — low music
  21. root — the cause
  22. club — for dancing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — a young animal

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