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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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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: race · calf · wound · roll · kick · chair · dip · coach

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. wound — an injury
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. chair — a leader
  12. roll — a cake
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. roll — a list
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. race — humankind
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. dip — to sink
  22. race — the arms race
  23. wound — an injury
  24. race — a contest

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