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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a dance
  7. chip — for betting
  8. swing — in golf
  9. chip — to eat
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. swing — to play on
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mug — a face
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wax — to grow
  23. swing — music
  24. mug — a cup

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