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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · root · net · can · march · plane · calf · bark

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bark — to shout
  3. march — music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. net — for catching
  7. can — to be able to
  8. march — the month
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. can — a tin
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. root — of a word
  18. can — a tin
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. march — the month
  21. root — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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