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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rock — music
  4. bore — to tire
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rock — a stone
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bore — to drill
  14. board — a committee
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. sharp — with an edge

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