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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · perch · chair · track · coach · spring · wave · saw

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spring — of water
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. spring — a coil
  15. saw — the tool
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — to keep track
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. track — a path
  22. spring — the season
  23. track — a song
  24. calf — of the leg

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