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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: root · spring · calf · staff · kid · craft · foot · racket

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kid — to tease
  7. craft — a skill
  8. staff — employees
  9. foot — a measure
  10. spring — the season
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kid — child
  13. root — of a word
  14. staff — a stick
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. spring — of water
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. craft — boats
  23. spring — a coil
  24. staff — employees

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