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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: ruler · trunk · object · spell · root · ground · calf · chair

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chair — a leader
  4. object — a thing
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — the cause
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. root — of a word
  10. spell — letters
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. spell — magic
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. object — to protest
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spell — a short time
  20. root — of a plant
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ground — a position

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