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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: rest · pound · bowl · key · charge · bear · calf · root

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. key — in music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. root — of a word
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. root — the cause
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. charge — electricity
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rest — what's left
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. root — of a plant

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