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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: plane · calf · staff · spell · tube · sharp · chair · coach

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. spell — letters
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spell — magic
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. staff — a stick
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. tube — the underground
  11. chair — a leader
  12. spell — a short time
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. tube — a container
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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