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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. kid — child
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. present — there
  5. kid — to tease
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — in control
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — electricity
  14. present — the time now
  15. scale — in music
  16. present — a gift
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. chip — to eat
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. scale — size or range
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. charge — a price

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