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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: bark · root · saw · calf · can · safe · dip · court

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. court — of law
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. root — of a word
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. root — the cause
  13. court — of a king
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. court — for sport
  17. saw — the tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. root — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bark — to shout
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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