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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 116 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: object · bowl · snap · chair · calf · band · ruler · key

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. object — a thing
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. object — to protest
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. band — a music group
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. key — in music
  14. snap — to click
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. object — an aim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. band — a ring

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