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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.

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: ground · root · bay · bark · pitcher · calf · mark · lie

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. root — the cause
  11. mark — a grade
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ground — the earth
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. root — of a word
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ground — a position
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ground — crushed

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