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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: calf · root · bay · bulb · key · jam · stand · ground

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ground — crushed
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — to bear
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. key — for a lock
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. root — the cause
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. key — the most important part
  23. root — of a word
  24. key — in music

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