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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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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: calf · rash · bank · bear · kick · kid · roll · root

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — in football
  17. rash — a series
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. kid — child
  20. roll — a list
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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