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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. race — a contest
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. race — the arms race
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. race — humankind
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — to breed
  20. chip — for betting
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — the 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