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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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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: kid · staff · stock · calf · kick · bay · hide · mate

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kid — child
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kick — in football
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stock — shares
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. staff — employees
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. mate — to breed
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stock — goods
  24. calf — a young animal

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