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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cap — of ice
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. root — of a plant
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chip — for betting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ball — a great time
  16. root — the cause
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. root — of a word
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cap — a hat
  23. saw — the tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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