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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. shower — to wash
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. object — to protest
  10. court — for sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. club — a group
  13. chip — to eat
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. shower — rain
  17. club — for golf
  18. sharp — clever
  19. object — a thing
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. object — an aim
  24. chip — for betting

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