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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: calf · march · kick · bear · root · pit · ball · roll

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. root — the cause
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pit — a hole
  8. roll — a cake
  9. root — of a word
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pit — in a race
  16. kick — in football
  17. ball — a great time
  18. roll — a list
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. march — the month

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