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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: kick · root · calf · fork · spring · mate · fan · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. spring — the season
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — of water
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mate — a friend
  11. root — of a word
  12. club — a group
  13. fork — in a road
  14. root — the cause
  15. kick — in football
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — for golf
  22. mate — a partner
  23. calf — of the leg
  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