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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. root — of a word
  3. club — for golf
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. root — of a plant
  9. board — a committee
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. club — for dancing
  12. root — the cause
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. board — to get on
  20. can — a tin
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. club — a group
  24. fork — to eat with

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