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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 116 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.

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: march · coach · stick · kick · ruler · calf · bass · stock

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. march — the month
  5. bass — low music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stock — shares
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stock — goods
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. kick — in football
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. march — the month
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. march — music
  24. calf — of the 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