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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 120 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 · bat · can · tube · rest · rash · root · band

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. root — of a word
  6. can — a tin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. tube — a container
  10. root — the cause
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rash — a series
  17. rest — a break
  18. root — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. band — a music group
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bat — the animal

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