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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 120 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: calf · swing · mark · sharp · bank · root · can · patient

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. root — of a plant
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. swing — in golf
  9. root — of a word
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. root — the cause
  16. sharp — clever
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. swing — music
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mark — a trace
  24. swing — to play on

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