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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 120 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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. kick — in football
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pass — a permit
  9. tube — a container
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. branch — a division
  13. tube — the underground
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. kick — with a leg

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