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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. root — of a word
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. object — a thing
  6. bass — the fish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. object — to protest
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — the cause
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bass — low music
  19. object — an aim
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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