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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 116 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: lash · root · calf · stock · firm · bark · bulb · press

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stock — shares
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. press — to push
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — a company
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. firm — steady
  13. root — of a word
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. root — of a plant
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stock — goods
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. press — a publisher
  24. firm — decided

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