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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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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 · rock · charge · calf · staff · stock · bank · racket

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. charge — electricity
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. staff — a stick
  17. charge — a price
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — in control
  20. bank — for money
  21. staff — employees
  22. rock — a stone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rock — to move gently

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