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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. root — of a plant
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fork — in a road
  5. root — the cause
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. roll — a cake
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. root — of a word
  17. craft — boats
  18. roll — a list
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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