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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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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 · board · bear · plane · track · chair · bay · calf

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. plane — a tool
  12. track — a song
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. kick — in football
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. calf — of the leg

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