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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lean — to bend
  4. chip — for betting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bulb — for light
  7. staff — employees
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. chip — to eat
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wound — an injury
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. staff — employees
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lean — thin

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