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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · march · plane · cabinet · chest · root · mouse · stand

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. march — the month
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. march — the month
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. march — music
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. root — the cause
  21. plane — a tool
  22. chest — a box
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — to bear

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