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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.

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: lean · pitcher · calf · dip · arm · root · pop · foot

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. dip — to sink
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pop — music
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. lean — thin
  11. root — the cause
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lean — to bend
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. root — of a word
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pop — soda
  23. root — of a plant
  24. arm — a part of something

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