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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. net — for catching
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. chip — for betting
  6. object — to protest
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. court — for sport
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. object — a thing
  13. net — in sport
  14. chip — to eat
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. net — after costs
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. object — an aim
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. cabinet — ministers

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