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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. root — of a word
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. roll — a list
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. firm — a company
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. roll — a cake
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. root — the cause
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. firm — decided
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. firm — steady
  24. root — of a plant

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