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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. can — a tin
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. root — of a word
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mark — a grade
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. root — the cause
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tear — from crying
  19. snap — to click
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mark — to pay attention

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