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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · season · chair · spring · ball · calf · pop · leaves

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. chair — a leader
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pop — to visit
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. ball — a great time
  19. spring — a coil
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ball — a dance
  22. object — to protest
  23. season — of the year
  24. chair — a professorship

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