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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chip — to eat
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cell — a phone
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. chip — for betting
  19. root — of a word
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. root — of a plant
  24. cell — in biology

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