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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. root — of a plant
  3. cap — a hat
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. object — a thing
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. game — wild animals
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bat — the animal
  12. root — the cause
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. object — to protest
  16. cap — a lid
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. game — a match
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — an aim
  24. cap — of ice

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