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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. root — of a plant
  3. march — music
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. fork — in a road
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. current — happening now
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. current — of water
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. root — of a word
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. march — the month
  17. root — the cause
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. march — the month
  21. current — electric
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fork — a garden tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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