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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.

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: track · calf · last · root · mouse · object · bear · fan

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. object — to protest
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — finally
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. last — to go on
  10. track — a path
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. root — of a plant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. track — a song
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. object — a thing
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. last — final
  23. object — an aim
  24. fan — a supporter

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