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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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468
Word bank
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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. root — of a plant
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. march — the month
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. root — of a word
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. march — music
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. march — the month
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. row — a line
  24. root — the cause

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