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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. root — of a plant
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. firm — a company
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fork — in a road
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — the fruit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. firm — steady

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