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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: wake · spell · root · lash · arm · board · calf · hide

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. board — to get on
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. root — the cause
  7. spell — letters
  8. root — of a word
  9. wake — a trail
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. board — a committee
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. spell — magic
  24. calf — of the leg

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