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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chip — for betting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pit — a hole
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitcher — a jug

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