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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.

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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mug — to rob
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. key — in music
  5. present — a gift
  6. mug — a cup
  7. chip — for betting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. mug — a face
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. present — the time now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. chip — to eat
  20. key — the most important part
  21. clip — to cut
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — there

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