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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ball — a great time
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ball — a dance
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. firm — decided
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chip — for betting
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rest — a break
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. firm — steady
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. coach — a trainer

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