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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: calf · bore · lean · wound · root · stand · ground · lie

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ground — the earth
  3. root — of a word
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ground — a position
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — the cause
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ground — crushed
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bore — to drill
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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