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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bass — the fish
  5. firm — steady
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wake — a trail
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bass — low music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stem — to come from
  14. firm — decided
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. kid — child
  23. firm — a company
  24. stem — of a plant

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