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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: chair · net · calf · racket · wave · board · ball · lean

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. board — a committee
  5. chair — a leader
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. board — to get on
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a great time
  22. net — in sport
  23. lean — thin
  24. board — a flat piece

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