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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.

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: game · kick · hide · rash · coach · bulb · season · bay

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bulb — for light
  8. season — of the year
  9. bulb — for light
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. kick — in football
  13. game — a match
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rash — a series
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — in sport
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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