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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 · bass · drill · root · field · wave · pit · game

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. bass — the fish
  3. drill — army training
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. drill — a practice
  6. root — of a word
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pit — a hole
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. game — wild animals
  13. root — the cause
  14. field — a subject
  15. drill — the tool
  16. field — farmland
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bass — low music
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. field — for sport
  23. calf — a young animal
  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