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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 · rock · calf · coach · staff · fork · kick · pass

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. staff — employees
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pass — a permit
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rock — music
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bulb — for light
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rock — a stone
  23. staff — employees
  24. bulb — of a plant

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