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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — a grade
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. root — of a word
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mark — a trace
  20. sharp — clever
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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