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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 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. hand — in cards
  4. can — a tin
  5. root — of a word
  6. can — to be able to
  7. hand — help
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. track — a song
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. can — a tin
  18. track — a path
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — the cause
  21. tube — a container
  22. kick — in football
  23. suit — clothes
  24. track — to keep track

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