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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 120 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 · chair · pitcher · lash · capital · staff · club · suit

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. club — a group
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. capital — a city
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. capital — money
  24. chair — a leader

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