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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. root — the cause
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. root — of a word
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bulb — for light
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bulb — of a plant

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