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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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · calf · root · club · object · hide · wind · jam

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wind — moving air
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. object — a thing
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. club — for dancing
  12. root — the cause
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. club — a group
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. club — for golf

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