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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: calf · root · stand · date · ruler · last · court · bulb

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bulb — for light
  4. last — final
  5. court — of law
  6. stand — to bear
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. root — of a word
  10. date — the fruit
  11. last — finally
  12. root — the cause
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. court — for sport
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — of a plant
  19. last — to go on
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. court — of a king
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — for spectators

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