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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
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 · wake · root · bowl · spring · mate · nail · board

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spring — a coil
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wake — a trail
  14. spring — of water
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mate — a friend
  17. root — of a word
  18. spring — the season
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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