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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. game — a match
  4. staff — employees
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. game — wild animals
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mug — to rob
  13. chip — to eat
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. squash — the sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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