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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: date · rush · chair · foot · sharp · fork · calf · mark

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mark — a grade
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. chair — a leader
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — a trace
  20. date — the fruit
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. chair — to sit on

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