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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · root · fan · ruler · game · suit · arm · wound

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. game — wild animals
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wound — an injury
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. game — a match
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wound — an injury
  23. root — of a word
  24. fan — to cool the air

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