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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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Word bank
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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. chip — for betting
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. current — electric
  8. rest — a break
  9. chip — to eat
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pit — in a race
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitch — completely
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — in a computer

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