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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. tube — a container
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. mark — a grade
  9. row — to paddle
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mark — a trace
  24. calf — a young animal

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