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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: present · game · mark · staff · coach · calf · field · arm

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. present — there
  3. field — farmland
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. staff — employees
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. field — for sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mark — a grade
  16. present — a gift
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. present — the time now
  21. game — a match
  22. field — a subject
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. game — wild animals

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