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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: band · staff · track · cabinet · pop · swing · hide · calf

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pop — to visit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. track — a path
  5. pop — soda
  6. swing — in golf
  7. track — a song
  8. staff — a stick
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. staff — employees
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. band — a ring
  14. swing — music
  15. pop — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. swing — to play on
  20. track — to keep track
  21. band — a music group
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. staff — employees
  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