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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pit — a hole
  3. row — a line
  4. root — the cause
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pound — a weight
  7. season — of the year
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mark — a trace
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. pit — in a race
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. season — in sport
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. calf — of the leg

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