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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.

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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: calf · march · club · chair · face · season · kick · bay

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. march — the month
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. season — of the year
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. face — to confront
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. club — a group
  15. march — music
  16. chair — a leader
  17. march — the month
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. kick — in football
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. club — for golf
  24. calf — a young animal

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