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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. chip — to eat
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rule — government
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pit — in a race
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rule — a law
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wound — an injury
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — of the leg

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