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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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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: track · root · stick · swing · calf · rock · leaves · fall

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. root — of a word
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a plant
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. track — a path
  22. fall — to drop
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fall — the season

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