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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: chair · wave · coach · cold · deal · foot · calf · suit

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. foot — a measure
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chair — a leader
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cold — not warm
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. cold — an illness

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