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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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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: calf · chair · pitch · suit · bear · spell · fork · last

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. spell — magic
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. last — to go on
  18. bear — the animal
  19. last — final
  20. fork — in a road
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. suit — in cards
  23. last — finally
  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