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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: last · calf · trunk · bulb · fall · root · safe · snap

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — for light
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. last — final
  6. fall — the season
  7. root — the cause
  8. snap — to click
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. root — of a plant
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fall — to drop
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bulb — for light
  22. last — finally
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. root — of a word

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