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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fall — to drop
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — for a lock
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fall — the season
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rash — hasty
  16. key — in music
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rash — a series
  19. chip — to eat
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fall — to drop

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