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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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. fan — to cool the air
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. root — the cause
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — steady
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. root — of a plant
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. firm — a company

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