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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. land — a country
  3. land — ground
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bore — to drill
  7. chip — for betting
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. charge — a price
  11. chip — to eat
  12. charge — in control
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. charge — electricity
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bore — to tire
  19. land — to come down
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stand — to bear
  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