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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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Word bank
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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: calf · field · pitcher · game · rush · suit · arm · root

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. suit — clothes
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. field — farmland
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. field — a subject
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. field — for sport
  11. root — of a word
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. suit — to fit
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — in cards
  20. root — the cause
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. root — of a plant

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