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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · bay · staff · ruler · content · root · row · patient

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. root — of a plant
  4. row — a line
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — of a word
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — a stick
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. content — the amount
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. row — to paddle
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. content — happy
  22. root — the cause
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. calf — a young animal

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