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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — thin
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lean — to bend
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. swing — music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fork — in a road
  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