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

Word bank: fork · root · calf · pound · spell · stem · toast · lean

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stem — to come from
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. toast — bread
  14. lean — thin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. root — the cause
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. spell — magic

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