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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. root — of a plant
  3. march — music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rock — a stone
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — of a word
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rock — music
  14. root — the cause
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. march — the month
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. march — the month
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bark — to shout
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rock — to move gently

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