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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 120 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stand — to bear
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stem — to come from
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. court — of a king
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chip — for betting
  16. swing — to play on
  17. court — of law
  18. suit — in cards
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. suit — to fit
  22. swing — music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. court — for sport

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