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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wind — moving air
  3. object — a thing
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. race — humankind
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cue — for pool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bore — to drill
  15. object — to protest
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bore — to tire
  22. object — an aim
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cue — a signal

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