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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: staff · calf · bulb · stick · band · kick

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. band — a music group
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. kick — in football
  18. staff — a stick

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