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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. mug — a face
  2. chip — to eat
  3. club — for dancing
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a great time
  11. chip — for betting
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. club — a group
  18. mug — to rob
  19. club — for golf
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bark — to shout
  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