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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: arm · calf · chair · bore · rock · board · suit · face

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. board — a committee
  4. rock — a stone
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bore — to tire
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. face — to confront
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. board — to get on
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rock — music
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bore — to drill
  24. calf — a young animal

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