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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. roll — a list
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. root — of a plant
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fall — to drop
  8. deal — to handle
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — the cause
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lie — to recline
  21. root — of a word
  22. fall — the season
  23. scale — in music
  24. roll — on a roll

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