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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 120 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
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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: plane · firm · chest · rush · dip · kid · court · calf

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. firm — steady
  3. chest — a box
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — hurry
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. court — for sport
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. chest — of your body
  14. court — of a king
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. court — of law
  19. kid — to tease
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. firm — decided

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