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

Word bank: chair · stick · safe · mate · calf · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. swing — in golf
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed

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