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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. ground — the earth
  6. firm — decided
  7. root — of a word
  8. branch — a division
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. ground — a position
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bound — obliged
  15. root — the cause
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. root — of a plant
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. ground — crushed
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. firm — a company
  24. chair — a leader

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