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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. dip — to sink
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ground — the earth
  8. chip — to eat
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cell — in biology
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mug — a face
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mug — a cup
  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