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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: hide · root · spring · pitch · tear · lash · calf · mouse

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. spring — the season
  8. tear — to rip
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — of a word
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitch — completely
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. root — the cause
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — of a plant
  23. tear — from crying
  24. spring — a coil

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