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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: march · kick · rest · rock · cue · calf · mine · leaves

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rest — a break
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cue — for pool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — music
  10. march — music
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rock — a stone
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cue — a signal
  15. march — the month
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. kick — in football
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mine — for digging
  21. cue — a hint
  22. march — the month
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. leaves — of a tree

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