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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · date · land · mate · ball · chest · calf · coach

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mate — to breed
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. land — to come down
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. land — ground
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ball — a dance
  15. date — the fruit
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chest — of your body
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chest — a box
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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