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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 116 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. object — an aim
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rule — government
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. kid — child
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. root — of a word
  13. rule — a law
  14. object — to protest
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. chip — for betting
  17. object — a thing
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cold — an illness
  23. root — the cause
  24. calf — a young animal

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