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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tube — a container
  3. date — the fruit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. rock — music
  6. race — a contest
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chip — to eat
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. season — in sport
  20. rock — a stone
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. season — of the year

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