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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.

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: perch · bulb · club · sharp · calf · court · hide · pass

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. club — for golf
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. court — of a king
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. club — a group
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bulb — for light
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. court — of law
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. court — for sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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