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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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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 · land · rock · fork · calf · chip · wax · root

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. wax — in the ear
  2. root — of a word
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. land — ground
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. land — to come down
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. land — a country
  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