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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. board — to get on
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. tube — a container
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. chip — for betting
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — hurry
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cell — in biology
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. chip — to eat
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pit — a hole

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