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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: band · craft · suit · chair · wax · toast · calf · roll

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. roll — a list
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. craft — a skill
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. craft — boats
  17. roll — a cake
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. toast — bread
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. chair — to sit on

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