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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · season · leaves · capital · straw · bear · lash · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. season — in sport
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. capital — a city
  9. root — of a plant
  10. season — of the year
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bear — the animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. root — of a word
  19. bear — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. capital — money
  24. straw — a straw man

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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