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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. last — finally
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. chip — to eat
  6. degree — an amount
  7. last — final
  8. degree — temperature
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. present — the time now
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. present — there
  16. degree — from a university
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — for betting
  23. last — to go on
  24. cabinet — ministers

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