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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. board — to get on
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. board — a committee
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. ground — the earth
  22. fork — in a road
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lash — to lash out

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