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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bound — obliged
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bound — tied together
  15. chair — a leader
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chair — a professorship

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