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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. root — the cause
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. root — of a plant
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bulb — for light
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bulb — for light
  19. saw — the tool
  20. root — of a word
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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