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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. staff — employees
  3. dip — to sink
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. chip — for betting
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — a break
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bark — to shout
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stock — shares
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stock — goods
  24. rest — what's left

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