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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. board — to get on
  3. lean — thin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tear — from crying
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. root — the cause
  10. board — a committee
  11. tear — to rip
  12. root — of a word
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lean — to bend
  16. tear — from crying
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lean — to rest against

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