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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: charge · rock · sharp · track · spring · bear · trunk · calf

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. track — a path
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. charge — in control
  5. track — a song
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — of water
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. charge — electricity
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rock — a stone
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rock — music
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. charge — a price
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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