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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: calf · object · board · fan · root · pit · pitcher · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. object — a thing
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. root — of a plant
  8. object — an aim
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. board — to get on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. root — of a word
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. root — the cause
  23. object — to protest
  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