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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — what's left
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rest — a break
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. chip — to eat
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wave — with your hand

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