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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 116 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mine — for digging
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mug — to rob
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mug — a face
  17. chip — to eat
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. chip — in a computer

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