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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: fork · leaves · sharp · foot · calf · present · pass · arm

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. present — there
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. present — the time now
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pass — a permit
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. present — a gift

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