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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 116 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: calf · sharp · club · capital · season · root · charge · straw

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. root — of a plant
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. club — for golf
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. capital — a city
  10. root — of a word
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. season — in sport
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. club — for dancing
  20. capital — money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. club — a group

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