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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. suit — clothes
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. suit — to fit
  8. root — of a word
  9. land — ground
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. root — the cause
  17. land — to come down
  18. suit — in cards
  19. land — a country
  20. rock — music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bat — the animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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