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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. march — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. march — the month
  12. kid — child
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. kid — to tease
  16. march — the month
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. safe — a strongbox

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