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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.

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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 · kick · fine · file · bear · foot · coach · firm

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. file — a line of people
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. file — a document
  13. fine — high quality
  14. foot — a measure
  15. file — a tool
  16. firm — a company
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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