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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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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. fall — to drop
  5. march — the month
  6. season — of the year
  7. wound — an injury
  8. march — the month
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. season — in sport
  12. pop — music
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fall — the season
  16. march — music
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pop — to visit
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pop — soda

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