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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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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: board · cue · suit · chair · lean · calf · temple · pit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pit — a hole
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cue — a signal
  8. board — to get on
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lean — thin
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cue — for pool
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pit — in a race
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — in cards
  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