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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · suit · chair · calf · fan · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ground — the earth
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chair — a leader
  12. ground — crushed
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ground — a position

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