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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 116 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: calf · coach · march · cap · ball · wake · land · club

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. land — to come down
  3. club — for golf
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ball — a great time
  8. club — a group
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. march — the month
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. march — the month
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. march — music
  20. land — ground
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a dance
  23. land — a country
  24. club — for dancing

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