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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. clip — to cut
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. charge — a price
  10. firm — decided
  11. clip — for paper
  12. mate — a partner
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. clip — a video
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fall — the season
  18. firm — steady
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — to breed
  22. charge — in control
  23. rush — hurry
  24. chip — to eat

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