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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: bulb · calf · kick · bay · board · march · rock · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rock — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. board — to get on
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. march — the month
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — music
  24. kick — in football

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