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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: perch · stem · root · firm · fork · bound · calf · wake

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. root — the cause
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. root — of a word
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. firm — a company
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bound — certain
  17. fork — in a road
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bound — obliged
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bound — tied together
  23. wake — a trail
  24. root — of a plant

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