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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: band · calf · sharp · lean · coach · rock · key · rule

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. band — a ring
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rule — a law
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. band — a music group
  13. rule — government
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. key — the most important part
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. key — in music
  23. sharp — clever
  24. key — for a lock

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