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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ground — crushed
  5. object — to protest
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. chest — a box
  9. ground — a position
  10. object — a thing
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ground — the earth
  14. object — an aim
  15. content — happy
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. content — the amount
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ruler — for measuring

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