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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. object — an aim
  4. chip — to eat
  5. object — a thing
  6. land — ground
  7. chip — for betting
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mug — a cup
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — to rob
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — to protest
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. key — in music
  17. mug — a face
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. temple — side of the head

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