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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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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: pass · lash · bank · root · club · mine · calf · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bank — for money
  11. club — a group
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. root — of a word
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bank — for money
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bank — of a river
  24. root — the cause

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