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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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468
Word bank
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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. club — for dancing
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wind — moving air
  11. club — a group
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. root — the cause
  15. bark — to shout
  16. club — for golf
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. root — of a word
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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