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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · staff · coach · calf · land · stem · game · bass

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. land — to come down
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bass — the fish
  7. game — wild animals
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. game — a match
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. kick — in football
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. land — a country
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. land — ground
  23. bass — low music
  24. stem — to come from

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