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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
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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: calf · bowl · rash · lie · plane · root · cap · bear

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — of ice
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — to recline
  8. root — of a word
  9. plane — a tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. root — the cause

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