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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. band — a music group
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. ball — a dance
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. band — a ring
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mine — for digging

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