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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. dip — to sink
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. kick — in football
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. sharp — clever
  24. coach — a trainer

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