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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 120 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: calf · root · foot · degree · content · cell · board · plane

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. content — the amount
  6. cell — in biology
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. degree — an amount
  11. foot — a measure
  12. root — the cause
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — from a university
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. content — happy
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. cell — a phone
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. degree — temperature
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. calf — of the leg

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