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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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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: chair · wave · calf · leaves · jam · rash · can · pop

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. can — to be able to
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chair — a leader
  19. can — a tin
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. rash — a series
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wave — with your hand

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