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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: cell · racket · calf · can · deal · tube · chair · fine

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. deal — to handle
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fine — all right
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cell — a phone
  17. tube — the underground
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fine — high quality
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. tube — a container
  24. calf — of the leg

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