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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — in cards
  4. root — of a plant
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. saw — the tool
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rule — government
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rule — a law
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a dance

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