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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pit — in a race
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. deal — to handle
  9. date — the fruit
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pit — a hole
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. chip — to eat
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. date — on the calendar

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