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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 · wave · file · calf · face · wake · drill · sharp

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. root — of a word
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. drill — army training
  7. file — a line of people
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. root — of a plant
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. face — part of the head
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. root — the cause
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. drill — the tool
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wave — with your hand

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