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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chip — for betting
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. degree — from a university
  17. pit — in a race
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. squash — the sport
  20. chip — to eat
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. degree — an amount
  23. squash — to crush
  24. degree — temperature

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