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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.

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: mate · jam · hand · root · pitch · bulb · racket · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. pitch — completely
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. hand — help
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bulb — for light
  24. racket — for tennis

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