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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. chip — for betting

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