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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rock — music
  3. plane — a tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. deal — to handle
  13. perch — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. sharp — clever
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bank — for money

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