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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. scale — in music
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. last — to go on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rash — hasty
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rest — what's left
  13. last — final
  14. chip — to eat
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. last — finally
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rash — a series
  24. scale — size or range

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