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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. chip — for betting
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — a skill
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. board — to get on
  11. plane — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. board — a committee
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. dip — to sink

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