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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.

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: can · calf · kid · march · suit · band · hide · staff

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — child
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. march — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. band — a ring
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. can — a tin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — clothes
  20. band — a music group
  21. suit — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. staff — a stick

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