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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 120 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  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. pitch — completely
  2. file — a document
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. file — a line of people
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. tear — to rip
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. file — a tool
  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