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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · calf · wound · snap · fall · root

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. 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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. fall — the season
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wound — an injury
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. fall — to drop
  13. present — there
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. snap — to click
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fall — to drop
  18. 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