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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: straw · march · season · calf · sharp · foot · deal · bowl

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. march — music
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. march — the month
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. march — the month
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. foot — a measure
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. season — of the year
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. season — in sport
  24. sharp — clever

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