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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wind — moving air
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. craft — boats
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. mate — a friend
  13. present — the time now
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chip — for betting
  17. present — a gift
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. chip — to eat

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