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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. root — the cause
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spell — letters
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spell — magic
  9. current — electric
  10. row — to paddle
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. current — happening now
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. spell — a short time
  17. craft — boats
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. root — of a word
  22. craft — a skill
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. craft — a handicraft

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