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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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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: calf · stand · chair · cabinet · racket · fall · coach · snap

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fall — to drop
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — to bear
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fall — to drop
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. fall — the season
  24. coach — a trainer

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