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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: ball · stick · calf · face · root · coach · chest · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — of a plant
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — of a word
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chest — of your body
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. face — to point toward
  14. chest — a box
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. root — the cause
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — to protest
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. face — to confront
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chest — of your body

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