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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · calf · straw · date · board · saw · lie · sharp

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. saw — the tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. lie — to recline
  15. root — the cause
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. root — of a plant
  19. saw — the tool
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. date — the fruit

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