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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. chip — to eat
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. hand — in cards
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bark — to shout
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. race — a contest
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. dip — to sink
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. roll — a list
  21. hand — help
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kick — in football
  24. race — humankind

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