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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 116 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cap — of ice
  6. board — a committee
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. root — of a word
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. board — to get on
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. spell — magic
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cap — a hat
  17. net — after costs
  18. spell — letters
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. cap — a lid
  24. hand — help

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