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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. roll — a cake
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. roll — a list
  14. rash — a series
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. suit — clothes
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rash — hasty
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. chip — for betting

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