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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: game · jam · pitcher · calf · root · can · lie · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. firm — a company
  14. root — of a plant
  15. firm — steady
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. game — a kind of play

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