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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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Word bank
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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. staff — employees
  4. branch — a division
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. chip — to eat
  18. staff — a stick
  19. chip — for betting
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. staff — employees
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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