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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. present — the time now
  7. spring — a coil
  8. squash — to crush
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — music
  15. squash — the sport
  16. spring — of water
  17. rock — a stone
  18. present — a gift
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — there
  24. spring — the season

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