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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: hand · pit · can · root · bowl · rash · pop · calf

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. root — the cause
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pop — soda
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pop — music
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — a series
  16. pit — in a race
  17. root — of a plant
  18. can — a tin
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. root — of a word
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. can — a tin

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