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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. clip — for paper
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rule — a law
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rule — government
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. clip — to cut
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. clip — a video
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rest — a break
  16. chip — to eat
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hide — to keep secret

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