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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: cap · foot · content · root · branch · stick · calf · bowl

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. root — of a word
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. content — the amount
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cap — a lid
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cap — of ice
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. content — happy
  19. branch — a division
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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