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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: calf · toast · drill · root · staff · firm · fall · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — the season
  5. staff — employees
  6. fall — to drop
  7. staff — a stick
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. root — of a word
  10. staff — employees
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. drill — the tool
  14. root — of a plant
  15. firm — steady
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bear — the animal
  19. toast — bread
  20. fall — to drop
  21. root — the cause
  22. firm — decided
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. drill — army training

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