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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.

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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 · spell · board · calf · leaves · degree · hand · dip

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. degree — temperature
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. board — to get on
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. spell — a short time
  14. dip — to sink
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. board — a committee
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spell — letters
  20. degree — from a university
  21. root — of a plant
  22. hand — help
  23. spell — magic
  24. dip — to dunk

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