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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · tube · sharp · net · root · chair · fan · track

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — the cause
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. root — of a word
  8. track — a song
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. net — for catching
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. net — in sport
  14. chair — a leader
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. track — a path
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. tube — the underground
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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