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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ground — the earth
  9. swing — to play on
  10. chip — to eat
  11. spell — magic
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ground — crushed
  14. press — newspapers
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ground — a position
  20. press — to push
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. chip — in a computer

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