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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 116 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
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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: suit · mark · trunk · track · band · wound · chair · calf

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. band — a music group
  6. mark — a grade
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. band — a ring
  10. suit — clothes
  11. track — to keep track
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. track — a path
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. track — a song

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