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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: bear · hide · coach · kick · rush · key · calf · bulb

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. kick — in football
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rush — hurry
  7. key — for a lock
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. key — in music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. hide — to keep secret

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