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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: sharp · wave · file · stick · calf · club · march · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. march — music
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. march — the month
  13. root — the cause
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. file — a document
  22. root — of a plant
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. march — the month

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