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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: rush · chair · object · calf · nail · saw · lean · spell

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. object — an aim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. object — to protest
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — to bend
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. saw — the tool
  17. spell — magic
  18. lean — thin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. object — a thing
  22. rush — hurry
  23. chair — a leader
  24. lean — to rest against

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