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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.

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: spell · chair · mug · chest · calf · suit · pound · craft

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. craft — boats
  3. spell — a short time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spell — letters
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — to fit
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chest — of your body
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mug — to rob
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chest — of your body
  18. suit — clothes
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mug — a face
  24. chest — a box

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