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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: key · wave · firm · calf · season · board · dip · root

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. key — the most important part
  3. root — of a plant
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. root — of a word
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. board — a committee
  14. firm — a company
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. season — of the year
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. root — the cause
  23. firm — decided
  24. calf — a young animal

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