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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.

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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 · rash · foot · season · chair · pop · plane

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. season — of the year
  3. pop — soda
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. deal — to handle
  6. season — in sport
  7. chair — a leader
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pop — music
  12. rash — hasty
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rash — a series
  23. foot — the bottom
  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