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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stock — goods
  4. hand — in cards
  5. chip — for betting
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ground — a position
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ground — crushed
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stock — shares
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  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