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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: land · rash · rock · mug · track · kick · leaves · calf

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. land — a country
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rock — music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mug — to rob
  12. land — ground
  13. mug — a face
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. track — a song
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. land — to come down
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rash — hasty
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. track — a path
  24. leaves — lets stay

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