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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lean — thin
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cap — of ice
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mine — for digging
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pound — a weight
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. calf — of the leg

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