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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: root · chair · calf · suit · track · ground · wave · jam

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. ground — a position
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. suit — clothes
  6. track — a song
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ground — crushed
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. suit — in cards
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ground — the earth
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. root — of a word
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. root — the cause
  19. chair — a leader
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — a path
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. chair — to sit on

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