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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. firm — a company
  5. drill — army training
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. capital — money
  10. firm — steady
  11. chair — a leader
  12. drill — the tool
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mate — a friend
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ball — a great time
  17. drill — a practice
  18. firm — decided
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ball — a dance
  24. capital — a city

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