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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: bank · suit · chair · roll · calf · chip · band · wave

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. band — a ring
  4. suit — in cards
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. roll — a cake
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chip — to eat
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. roll — a list
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bank — for money
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. band — a music group
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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