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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. firm — steady
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — decided
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wound — an injury
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — a company
  21. chip — to eat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  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