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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 116 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: chip · calf · perch · spring · fine · pop · row · sharp

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chip — to eat
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fine — high quality
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pop — music
  10. spring — of water
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — to visit
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — the season
  17. pop — soda
  18. chip — for betting
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. row — a line
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fine — all right
  24. sharp — with an edge

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