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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. band — a ring
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. kick — in football
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. band — a music group
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  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