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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. root — of a plant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cue — a hint
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. root — the cause
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cue — a signal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rule — a law
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. root — of a word
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. calf — a young animal

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