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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: calf · sharp · row · rush · branch · mate · fine · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. row — a line
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mate — a friend
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bulb — for light
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mate — to breed
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fine — all right
  17. branch — a division
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mate — a partner
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fine — high quality
  24. calf — of the leg

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