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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. present — there
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. band — a music group
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. present — a gift
  15. band — a ring
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cue — a hint
  22. present — the time now
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chip — to eat

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