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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.

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: root · sharp · kid · calf · can · racket · jam · lash

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — of a word
  7. sharp — clever
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. can — a tin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. can — to be able to
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. root — of a plant
  24. kid — to tease

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