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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 120 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: rest · bark · race · root · suit · press · calf · spring

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bark — to shout
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. spring — the season
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. race — a contest
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — to push
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — a break
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. race — humankind
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — of a word
  20. spring — a coil
  21. press — newspapers
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rest — what's left
  24. spring — of water

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