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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chip — for betting
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. object — an aim
  5. cold — not warm
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. cold — an illness
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chip — to eat
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. calf — a young animal

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