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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: squash · root · cold · calf · foot · stand · row · suit

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. squash — the sport
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — to paddle
  10. root — the cause
  11. cold — not warm
  12. stand — to bear
  13. suit — in cards
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. foot — a measure
  17. row — a line
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cold — an illness
  22. root — of a plant
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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