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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: stick · dip · foot · last · root · wax · calf · hide

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. root — the cause
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. last — final
  14. root — of a plant
  15. last — to go on
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. last — finally
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. foot — a measure

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