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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pitch — completely
  4. club — for golf
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tube — a container
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. chip — for betting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. plane — a tool
  21. track — a song
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. arm — part of the body
  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