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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: rock · object · bowl · club · chair · track · clip · calf

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. clip — for paper
  3. rock — music
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. object — an aim
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. clip — a video
  12. object — a thing
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. clip — to cut
  18. object — to protest
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — a leader
  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