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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cap — a lid
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mug — a face
  6. tube — a container
  7. firm — a company
  8. swing — music
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stock — goods
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stock — shares
  14. mug — to rob
  15. swing — in golf
  16. chip — for betting
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cap — a hat
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mug — a cup
  22. firm — steady
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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