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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: wave · key · root · bound · sharp · branch · swing · calf

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. root — of a word
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bound — obliged
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. branch — a division
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. key — for a lock
  10. root — of a plant
  11. sharp — clever
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bound — certain
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bound — tied together
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. calf — a young animal
  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