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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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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. face — to confront
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. suit — to fit
  11. land — a country
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. clip — for paper
  16. root — of a word
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a music group
  20. root — the cause
  21. clip — to cut
  22. clip — a video
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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