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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. net — for catching
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. foot — a measure
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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