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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. root — the cause
  4. track — to keep track
  5. game — a match
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. root — of a plant
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. root — of a word
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. game — wild animals
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pop — to visit

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