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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: root · calf · jam · leaves · mark · scale · lean · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. root — the cause
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mark — a grade
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. scale — in music
  12. mark — a trace
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. root — of a word
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lean — thin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. lean — to bend

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