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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
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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: calf · staff · date · root · lash · row · coach · band

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — the cause
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. band — a ring
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. root — of a plant
  13. staff — a stick
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — of a word
  16. row — to paddle
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. staff — employees
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. band — a music group
  22. row — a line
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lash — an eyelash

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