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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: calf · can · chair · cabinet · stand · spell · straw · bowl

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. spell — a short time
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stand — to bear
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. spell — letters

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