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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: rock · foot · root · branch · calf · chip · bark · scale

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. branch — a division
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rock — music
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rock — a stone
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bark — to shout
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. chip — to eat
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. root — of a plant
  19. scale — in music
  20. root — of a word
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. root — the cause
  24. rock — to move gently

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