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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pop — music
  13. chair — a leader
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. pop — soda
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. sharp — clever
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pop — to visit

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