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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: mark · calf · club · chair · plane · mine · firm · sharp

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. firm — steady
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. plane — a tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mark — a trace
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mark — a grade
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. plane — in geometry

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