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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. fall — the season
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mine — for digging
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. swing — music
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fall — to drop
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fall — to drop
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bound — certain

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