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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. field — for sport
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. field — a subject
  9. chip — to eat
  10. field — farmland
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. court — of law
  14. deal — to handle
  15. hand — in cards
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. court — for sport
  18. hand — help
  19. craft — boats
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. court — of a king
  24. craft — a skill

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