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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. squash — to crush
  3. ball — a dance
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. net — in sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. squash — the sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mark — a trace
  17. game — a match
  18. ball — a great time
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. net — for catching
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mark — to pay attention

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