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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. fine — all right
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. fine — high quality
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. chip — to eat
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rest — what's left
  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