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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: craft · swing · firm · chair · shower · foot · mate · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mate — to breed
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mate — a partner
  7. craft — boats
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. firm — a company
  13. suit — to fit
  14. swing — in golf
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. craft — a skill
  17. firm — steady
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chair — a leader
  21. firm — decided
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. craft — a handicraft

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