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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's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. chip — to eat
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mug — to rob
  8. chip — for betting
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mug — a cup
  11. board — a committee
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mug — a face
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a dance
  17. board — to get on
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. staff — a stick
  22. roll — a list
  23. ball — a round shape
  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