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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. band — a ring
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rule — a law
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. dip — to sink
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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