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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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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: swing · pound · root · wound · calf · bank · bay · roll

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. root — of a plant
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bank — of a river
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. swing — music
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. roll — a cake
  13. swing — in golf
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bank — for money
  18. wound — an injury
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bank — for money
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — a young animal

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