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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: chair · rush · toast · plane · calf · march · foot · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. plane — a tool
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chip — for betting
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. march — the month
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. chair — a leader
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. rush — hurry
  21. toast — bread
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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