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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 120 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: sharp · club · lash · bowl · root · pop · calf · safe

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — for dancing
  5. root — of a word
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. club — a group
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. club — for golf
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — the cause
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — of a plant

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