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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: chair · jam · mouse · fall · mate · wave · calf · firm

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fall — the season
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. firm — a company
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mate — a friend
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chair — a leader
  24. wave — of the sea

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