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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: staff · calf · pass · object · sharp · shower · racket · coach

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. sharp — clever
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. shower — to wash
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. shower — rain
  14. object — a thing
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — an aim
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. staff — employees

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