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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — in cards
  3. chip — to eat
  4. object — an aim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. object — to protest
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. suit — clothes
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — for betting
  18. kid — child
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — a thing
  21. kid — to tease
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. branch — of a bank

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