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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pound — a weight
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. hand — help
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. can — a tin
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hand — part of the body

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