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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: kick · plane · bear · track · rule · jam · club · calf

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. track — a song
  4. bear — the animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rule — a law
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. club — for golf
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bear — the animal
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. track — a path
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. kick — in football
  19. club — for dancing
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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