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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. kid — child
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. key — in music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lean — to bend
  11. kid — to tease
  12. perch — the fish
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lean — thin
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stem — to come from

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