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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 · net · mate · swing · hand · cell · calf · root

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. net — in sport
  3. cell — in biology
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — in cards
  8. root — of a word
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mate — a friend
  12. net — after costs
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. root — the cause
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. net — for catching
  21. cell — a phone
  22. hand — help
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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