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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: deal · land · root · nail · pass · calf · cap · bear

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. root — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. land — ground
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. land — a country
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. root — the cause
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bear — the animal
  19. land — to come down
  20. root — of a word
  21. cap — of ice
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. deal — a big deal

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