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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: root · ball · calf · row · pitcher · bay · pit · squash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. root — the cause
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. squash — to crush
  10. root — of a word
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ball — a great time
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pit — in a race
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ball — a round shape

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