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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
468
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 · degree · board · leaves · date · pop · fork

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pop — to visit
  3. board — a committee
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pop — music
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fork — in a road
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. degree — an amount
  14. root — of a word
  15. pop — soda
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. root — of a plant
  20. degree — temperature
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. date — the fruit
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. degree — from a university

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