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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — for betting
  6. firm — decided
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rash — a series
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rash — hasty
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. firm — a company
  21. rest — what's left
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. firm — steady

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