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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. root — of a word
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fall — to drop
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. root — the cause
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. root — of a plant
  20. club — a group
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fall — the season
  24. suit — to fit

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