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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. fall — the season
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. present — the time now
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. present — a gift
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. present — there

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