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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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468
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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. band — a music group
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. swing — in golf
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. foot — a measure
  11. swing — music
  12. band — a ring
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. tube — a container
  19. root — of a word
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. swing — to play on

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