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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: pitcher · lash · calf · face · staff · tear · root · object

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — of a word
  4. tear — to rip
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. object — an aim
  8. staff — a stick
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. object — a thing
  16. root — the cause
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. staff — employees
  21. object — to protest
  22. face — to confront
  23. tear — from crying
  24. calf — a young animal

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