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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. chip — to eat
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stock — shares
  16. wax — to grow
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stock — goods

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