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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — thin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spring — of water
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wound — an injury
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. root — the cause
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. root — of a word
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mouse — for a computer

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