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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: lean · calf · root · snap · ruler · game · charge · tear

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. lean — to bend
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — thin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. tear — to rip
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. charge — a price
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. charge — electricity
  19. game — wild animals
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tear — from crying
  22. snap — to click
  23. tear — from crying
  24. game — a kind of play

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