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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. root — the cause
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. ground — a position
  8. chip — for betting
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ground — the earth
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ruler — for measuring

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