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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: ruler · snap · perch · hide · calf · root · rash · press

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. root — of a plant
  6. press — a publisher
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. press — newspapers
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. perch — the fish
  17. root — of a word
  18. rash — a series
  19. press — to push
  20. snap — to click
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. root — the cause
  23. rash — on the skin
  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