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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. dip — to sink
  4. spring — a coil
  5. staff — employees
  6. present — a gift
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — there
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — the season
  13. court — of law
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. court — for sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. present — the time now
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. court — of a king
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — to eat

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