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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 116 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. branch — a division
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stock — shares
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lean — to bend
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stock — goods
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stock — a soup base

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