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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. toast — bread
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wake — a trail
  9. face — part of the head
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chip — to eat
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. chip — for betting
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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