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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 116 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 · tube · pitcher · leaves · staff · saw · tear

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. root — the cause
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. tube — a container
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. staff — employees
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. tear — to rip
  13. root — of a word
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. tear — from crying
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tear — from crying
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — the underground
  24. saw — the tool

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