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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · band · calf · chair · can · straw · pass · mine

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. can — to be able to
  7. fine — all right
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fine — high quality
  10. band — a music group
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. band — a ring
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mine — for digging
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chair — a leader
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. can — a tin

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