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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: firm · last · face · wound · wave · calf · foot · chair

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chair — a leader
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. foot — a measure
  6. firm — decided
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. face — to point toward
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wound — an injury
  16. last — finally
  17. firm — steady
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. last — final
  20. face — to confront
  21. firm — a company
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. last — to go 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