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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 120 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wind — moving air
  6. lean — to bend
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. lean — thin
  12. chip — to eat
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. can — a tin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wind — moving air
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bear — the animal

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