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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: cap · bark · trunk · root · hide · rush · calf · rock

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. cap — a hat
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cap — a lid
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. root — of a word
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bark — to shout
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rush — hurry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. root — the cause
  24. calf — a young animal

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