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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. 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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — the underground
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bank — for money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bank — for money
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tube — a container
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. 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