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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: track · object · coach · ball · march · squash · calf · lie

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. lie — to recline
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. march — music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. track — to keep track
  8. object — to protest
  9. march — the month
  10. object — a thing
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. squash — to crush
  21. object — an aim
  22. ball — a great time
  23. track — a path
  24. track — a song

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