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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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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. bound — tied together
  5. root — of a plant
  6. field — for sport
  7. stand — to bear
  8. vault — a safe
  9. prune — to trim
  10. root — the cause
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — certain
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. prune — to trim
  24. calf — of the leg

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