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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — to bend
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. kick — in football
  10. bulb — for light
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chip — for betting
  14. lean — thin
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. game — a match
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wake — a trail
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bulb — for light
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. game — wild animals

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