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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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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: foot · kick · chair · calf · swing · rash · firm · rock

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chair — a leader
  3. firm — a company
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. swing — to play on
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kick — in football
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. foot — a measure
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rock — music
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rash — a series
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. firm — steady
  20. swing — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. firm — decided
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rock — to move gently

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