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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. tube — a container
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. chip — for betting
  11. root — of a plant
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — a company
  14. bound — obliged
  15. root — the cause
  16. firm — steady
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. cell — a phone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. root — of a word
  23. firm — decided
  24. calf — a young 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