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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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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: deal · calf · chair · board · chip · march · safe · root

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. march — the month
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. root — of a word
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. root — the cause
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. march — music
  18. chip — to eat
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. board — to get on
  23. march — the month
  24. chair — a professorship

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