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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 116 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: chair · game · swing · wax · cabinet · calf · sharp · mouse

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. game — a match
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. swing — music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. game — wild animals
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cabinet — ministers

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