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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. chip — for betting
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kid — child
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. tube — a container
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. chip — to eat
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — clothes
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tube — the underground

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