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

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. root — the cause
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — of a word
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bound — obliged
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bound — certain
  23. root — of a plant
  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