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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
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: sharp · calf · court · hide · pound · coach · bulb · stick

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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