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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
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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: track · lean · sharp · calf · bowl · coach

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — thin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. track — a path
  14. sharp — clever
  15. track — a song
  16. lean — to bend
  17. track — to keep track
  18. 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