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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: pit · calf · perch · foot · root · racket · ball · net

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. net — in sport
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ball — a dance
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. net — after costs
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. net — for catching
  21. root — the cause
  22. ball — a great time
  23. root — of a word
  24. pit — in a race

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