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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. last — to go on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. last — final
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. last — finally
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bear — the animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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