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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.

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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: can · kick · bay · spring · calf · board · racket · club

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. spring — of water
  5. can — to be able to
  6. club — for golf
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. kick — in football
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. board — to get on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. can — a tin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. spring — the season
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. club — a group
  24. kick — with a leg

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