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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 116 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. pitch — completely
  3. stock — goods
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chip — for betting
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rock — music
  12. pass — a permit
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stock — shares
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. band — a music group
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. band — a ring
  23. calf — a young animal
  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