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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bear — the animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cap — of ice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — in a road
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. chip — for betting
  17. staff — employees
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kick — in football
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bore — gave birth
  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